Lei Diao

Rm. ***, ** Penn Street, Baltimore, MD, 21201

abief1@r.postjobfree.com / 443-***-****

SUMMARY

• Ph. D. candidate in Pharmaceutical Sciences committed to pursuing a career in the

pharmaceutical/biopharmaceutical research and development.

• Demonstrated technical and problem-solving skills with solid record of scientific accomplishment and creativity.

• Self-motivated team player with outstanding leadership, communication and project management skills.

• Strong work ethic, quick learner and eager to implement new knowledge.

EDUCATION

Ph.D. Pharmaceutical Sciences – Biopharmaceutics and drug delivery May 2011

University of Maryland, Baltimore

Advisor: Dr. James E. Polli

Doctoral Dissertation: The role of organic cation transporters in drug disposition and prodrug targeting

M. S. Biomedical sciences Jan 2006

University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA

B. S. Biological Sciences June 2003

University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China

ACADEMIC RESEARCH EXPERIENCE

Ph. D. Dissertation Research, University of Maryland, Baltimore Dec 2006 – May 2011

Advisor: Dr. James E. Polli

• Prodrug targeting transporter Organic Cation/Carnitine Transporter (OCTN2) to achieve kidney specific targeting

and blood-brain barrier permeation: Design, synthesis, in vitro and in vivo pharmacokinetic characterization.

• Identify and characterize novel inhibitors for OCTN2 via computational modeling and in vitro testing.

• Evaluate possible transporter mediated drug-drug interactions by in vitro cell culture and LC/MS/MS analysis.

• Investigate the transport of anti-Parkinson drug pramipexole by human organic cation transporters

• Biopharmaceutical Classification System (BCS) permeability in vitro characterization of pramipexole

Dr. Richard Dalby laboratory rotation at the University of Maryland, Baltimore Sept – Dec 2006

Influence of shaking on the spray weight of nasal spray pumps

Dr. Hamid Ghandehari laboratory rotation at the University of Maryland, Baltimore June – Sept 2006

Biosynthesis of protein polymers for systemic cancer gene therapy

Dr. Catherine Hedrick laboratory Master thesis research at the University of Virginia Aug 2004 – Jan 2006

Sphingosine-1-phosphate prevents monocyte: endothelium interactions in type 2 diabetic db/db mice

EMPLOYMENT SUMMARY

Internship, Pfizer Pharmacokinetics, Dynamics and Metabolism (PDM), St. Louis, MO May – Aug 2008

• Investigated the regulations of hepatobiliary efflux transporters expression by pro-inflammatory cytokines

utilizing absolute protein quantification by LC/MS/MS and mRNA quantification.

• Published work as first author on the Journal of Biological Chemistry

PUBLICATIONS

Lei Diao and James Polli. Synthesis and in vitro characterization of drug conjugates of L-carnitine as potential prodrug

targeting human OCTN2. (Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, submitted)

Lei Diao, Sean Ekins, and James E. Polli. Quantitative Structure Activity Relationship for Inhibition of Human Organic

Cation/Carnitine Transporter (OCTN2) (Molecular Pharmaceutics, published online 2010 Sep 10.)

Lei Diao, Na Li, Timothy G. Brayman, Kathy J. Hotz and Yurong Lai. Regulation of MRP2/ABCC2 and BSEP/ABCB11

Expression in Sandwich Cultured Human and Rat Hepatocytes Exposed to Inflammatory Cytokines TNF-alpha, IL-6 and

IL-1. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 2010 Oct 8;285(41):31185-92.

Lei Diao and James Polli. Uptake of pramipexole by human organic cation transporters. Molecular Pharmaceutics 2010

Aug 2;7(4):1342-7.

Lei Diao, Sean Ekins and James Polli. Novel Inhibitors of Human Organic Cation/Carnitine Transporter (hOCTN2) via

Computational Modeling and In Vitro Testing. Pharmaceutical Research 2009 Aug; 26(8):1890-900.

Xiaowan Zheng, Lei Diao, Sean Ekins, and James E. Polli. Why We Should be Vigilant: Drug Cytotoxicity Observed with

In Vitro Transporter Inhibition Studies. Biochemical Pharmacology 2010 Oct 1;80(7):1087-92.

Diane V. Doughty, Lei Diao, Richard N. Dalby. Use of Flexible Weighted Nasal Spray Dip Tubes to Improve Product

Performance. Journal of Aerosol Medicine and Pulmonary Drug Delivery 2009 Sep 24; 23(2):69-75.

ABSTRACTS/ORAL PRESENTATIONS

L. Diao, S. Ekins, J. Polli (2010) Quantitative Structure Activity Relationship for Inhibition of Human Organic

Cation/Carnitine Transporter (OCTN2). American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists (AAPS) Annual Meeting,

New Orleans, LA [Accepted for Pharmacokinetics, Pharmacodynamics and Drug Metabolism (PPDM) Graduate Student

Symposium Podium Presentation]

L. Diao, S. Ekins, J. Polli (2010) Drug interaction with human Organic Cation/Carnitine Transporter (OCTN2; SLC22A5)

and its potential as a prodrug target. AAPS Annual Meeting, New Orleans, LA (Accepted)

L. Diao, S. Ekins, J. Polli (2010) Uptake of pramipexole by human organic cation transporters. AAPS Annual Meeting,

New Orleans, LA (Accepted)

L. Diao, J. Polli (2010) In vitro characterization of drug-L-carnitine conjugate as potential prodrug targeting Organic

cation/carnitine transporter (OCTN2) Globalization of Pharmaceutics Education Network (GPEN) meeting, Chapel Hill,

NC (Accepted)

L. Diao, J. Polli. (2009) Prodrug of naproxen that targets the Organic Cation/Carnitine Transporter (OCTN2). AAPS

Annual Meeting, Los Angeles, CA

L. Diao, S. Ekins, J. Polli. (2009) Discovery of FDA Approved Drugs that are hOCTN2 Inhibitors. AAPS Workshop on

Drug Transporters in ADME: From the Bench to the Bedside, Baltimore, MD (Oral Presentation)

L. Diao, N. Li, T. Brayman, S. Wene, K. Hotz, Y. Lai. (2009) Differential regulation of MRP2/Mrp2 and BSEP/Bsep

expressions in human and rat hepatocytes exposed to pro-inflammatory cytokines. AAPS Workshop on Drug Transporters

in ADME: From the Bench to the Bedside, Baltimore, MD

L. Diao, S. Ekins, J. Polli. (2008) Inhibition Requirements of Human Organic Cation/carnitine Transporter (OCTN2).

AAPS Annual Meeting, Atlanta, GA

L. Diao, D. Doughty, R. Dalby. (2007) Influence of Shaking on the Spray Weight of Nasal Spray Pumps. AAPS Annual

Meeting, San Diego, CA, Nov 10-15

H. Ghandehari, A. Hatefi, T. Tanaka, R. Dandu, L. Diao. (2006) Recombinant Polymers for Gene Delivery to Solid

Tumors. 13th International Pharmaceutical Technology Symposium

Lei Diao, A. W. Orr, Suseela Srinivasan, Catherine C. Hedrick. (2005) Sphingosine-1-phosphate Prevents Monocyte:

Endothelium Interactions in Type 2 Diabetic Db/db Mice. American Heart Association Scientific Sessions, Dallas, TX,

(Oral Presentation)

SKILLS

LC/MS/MS method development for small molecules and peptides, HPLC-UV and HPLC-fluorescence,

Dissolution and solubility assay, protein biosynthesis and purification, in vitro permeability/ uptake/ inhibition assay,

Metabolic stability assay, ADME/Tox, in vivo pharmacokinetic study and analysis, animal handling and surgery

WinNonlin, SAS, SigmaPlot, Graphpad Prism, Chemdraw, Mathematica, Microsoft Office.

PHARMACEUTICAL GRADUATE COURSES

Biopharmaceutics and Pharmacokinetics, Clinical Pharmacokinetics, Pharmaceutical Formulation and Unit Processes,

Principles of Drug Discovery, Principles of Drug Development, Bioanalytical and Pharmacological Methods,

Molecular Spectroscopy and Imaging, Mechanisms of Organic Reactions,

Statistical Methods in Epidemiology, Computational Analysis, Regression Analysis, Pharmaceutical Economics.

ACTIVITIES

President, Chinese students and scholars Association at the University of Maryland, Baltimore 2009-2010

Vice president, Chinese students and scholars Association at the University of Maryland, Baltimore 2008-2009

Treasurer, Chinese students and scholars Society at the University of Virginia 2005-2006

SELECTED HONORS AND AWARDS

Pharmaceutical Sciences Departmental Fellowship 2010

AAPS Graduate Student Symposium Award in Pharmacokinetics, Pharmacodynamics and Drug Metabolism 2010

AAPS Workshop on Drug Transporters in ADME: From the Bench to the Bedside Travel Award 2009

AAPS Annual Meeting Physical Pharmacy & Biopharmaceutics (PPB) Travel Award 2008

The Rho Chi Honor Society inducted 2008

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