Faculty members from the department of pharmaceutical sciences have secured prestigious grant funding to advance high-impact research addressing critical health challenges, from cancer and cardiovascular disease to metabolic conditions. These accomplishments further reinforce NSU’s distinction as an R1 research institution, a designation reserved for universities with the highest level of research activity.
Jean Latimer, Ph.D, associate professor and director of the NSU AutoNation Institute for Breach Cancer Research and Care received a $100,000 grant from the Florida Breast Cancer Foundation. Her research will explore how exposure to environmental chemicals specific to South Florida may cause ancestry-related changes in breast cancer cells. This work aims to uncover potential contributors to disparities in breast cancer outcomes and inform more personalized, equitable approaches to prevention and treatment.
Meanwhile, Dmitriy Minond, Ph.D., professor of pharmaceutical sciences received funding from the Florida Department of Health to test a novel small molecule, discovered by NSU researchers, against chemotherapy-resistant prostate cancer in mouse models. This promising study could lead to new treatment options for patients with advanced, drug-resistant prostate cancer, offering hope where few alternatives currently exist.
Additionally, Minond received three melanoma research grants totaling approximately $1.5 million from the National Institutes of Health, state funding, and local philanthropic sources, further expanding his laboratory’s impact on cancer research.
Expanding the scope of impactful research, Narasimman Gurusamy, Ph.D., assistant professor was awarded $300,000 from the American Heart Association’s Transformational Project Award to evaluate the therapeutic potential of long noncoding RNA MALAT1 modulation in enhancing cardiometabolic adaptation under ketotic conditions. His research aims to improve outcomes in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), a complex and increasingly prevalent form of heart disease. This innovative project could open new avenues for treatment by targeting molecular pathways that support heart function in metabolically stressed environments.
These research projects exemplify the depth and diversity of research taking place at NSU and at the Silverman College of Pharmacy. By securing competitive funding and pursuing innovative, patient-centered investigations, faculty members are advancing scientific knowledge along with reinforcing NSU’s commitment to address urgent health challenges. As an R1 research institution, the university continues to foster an environment where discovery thrives and where the next generation of scientists and clinicians are empowered to make a lasting impact.
