Co-chair Giacomini
Co-chair Kathy Giacomini, PhD
"I'm quite driven—no disagreement there! It's because I see so much disease and suffering in the world, so much potential for creative scientific solutions and a great need for change. Our department brings together scientists who can find those solutions in new ways."
Research Expertise
- targeting and disposition of drugs
- genetic variation in drug response (pharmacogenomics)
- the specific roles of membrane transporters in drug response
Education
- BS, Pharmacy, University of Houston
- PhD, Pharmaceutical Science, State University of New York at Buffalo
- Postdoctoral Studies, Clinical Pharmacology, Stanford University
Titles & Awards
- Co-chair, Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, UCSF Schools of Pharmacy and Medicine
- Professor, UCSF School of Pharmacy; Joint Appointment, UCSF School of Medicine
- Elected Fellow of the American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists and elected Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science
- Elected Member of the National Institute of Medicine of the National Academies
- Paul Dawson Biotechnology Award, American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy
- Distinguished Scientist in Drug Metabolism, American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists
- Research Achievement Award, International Pharmaceutical Sciences World Congress
- International Woman Scientist Award, Academy of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology
- Pharmaceutical Scientist of the Year Award, International Pharmaceutical Federation
- Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Award for the Advancement of Women and Minorities, UCSF
- Chancellor's Award for the Advancement of Women, UCSF
Research Areas
Dr. Giacomini studies drug targeting and disposition and genetic variations in drug response. She is particularly interested in the role of membrane transporters in drug response. Her research focuses on the:
- development of targeted drug therapies for cancer
- pharmacogenetics of drug-induced toxicities centered on anti-viral and anti-cancer drugs
- genetic and functional variation in membrane transporters, and
- discovery of genetic biomarkers of drug response.
Her studies range from cellular to molecular studies and from translational studies in transgenic and knockout mice to clinical studies.
Academic Service & Leadership
In addition to service on several editorial boards for scholarly journals, Dr. Giacomini is a member of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration Advisory Committee on Clinical Pharmacology and the World Health Organization's Expert Advisory Panel on Drug Evaluation. She serves as chair of the Global Strategic Alliances Committee for the National Institutes of Health Pharmacogenetics Research Network.
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