JUNIOR INVESTIGATOR PROJECTS

The Center of Research Excellence in Natural Products Neuroscience (CORE-NPN) supports a formal mentoring program to promote the establishment of independent research programs for junior investigators. Each junior investigator is mentored by a seasoned investigator, and receives bridge funding ($100,000-$150,000 per year) to support their research. The junior investigators are required to submit a competitive R01 grant application to NIH within two years of receiving support through this program. 

The following junior investigators and projects are currently supported through the CORE-NPN.

PROJECT 1: Mitragynine Based Opioid Ligands

Mentor: Dr. Alice Clark Department of Pharmacognosy

P.I.: Chris McCurdy, Associate Professor Department of Medicinal Chemistry

PROJECT 2: Characterization, Formulation, and Evaluation of the THC Pro-Drugs for Oral Transmucosal Delivery

Mentor: Dr. Walter Chambliss, Department of Pharmaceutics

	P.I.: Mike Repka, Associate Professor Department of Pharmaceutics
	Co-P.I.: Jit Majumdar, Assistant Professor Department of Pharmaceutics

PROJECT 3: Psychoactivity of Cannabinoids other than Major ones Present in Cannabis sativa L.
as well as Non- Cannabinoid Phenolic Compounds and Study their Interaction with Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol

Mentor: Dr. Mahmoud ElSohly, Department of Pharmaceutics

	P.I.: Samir Ross, Associate Professor Department of Pharmacognosy
	Co-P.I.: Desmond Slade Research Scientist National Center for Natural Product Research

Project 4: Natural Product-Derived Regulators of Hypoxia-Inducible Factor-1 for Neuroblastoma

Mentor: Stephan W. Morris, M.D., Full Member, St. Jude Children's Hospital

P.I.: Yu-Dong Zhou Research Assistant Professor Department of Pharmacognosy