David Dickens Email & Phone Number

Liverpool, Gb

I am a Lecturer in the Department of Molecular and Clinical Pharmacology at the University of Liverpool. The focus of my research group is on blood-brain barrier transporters. This means my research lies at the interface of drug transporters, blood-brain barrier (BBB) biology and molecular properties that determine the mechanism of transporter action.One aspect of research in my lab group focuses on understanding the importance of transporters in the passage of drugs through the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and relating this to patient outcomes such as efficacy by using pharmacogenetic approaches ie choosing the right patients. This could lead to a personalised medicine approach for the drug of interest and thus in the long run improved outcomes for patients receiving this compound hence improving the commercial viability/use of the drug of interest. Conversely if a drug interacts with a BBB drug transporter this could then determine the penetration of the compound into the CNS thus having implications in terms of efficacy or CNS based adverse side effects. We can investigate these interaction with genetic screening approaches, transporter overexpression cell lines and in vitro models of the BBB. Another major aspect of our research is to understand the molecular properties involved in the mechanism of transporter action utilising both in silico and wet lab experiments. This understanding at the biochemical level will aid in the identification of optimal ligands that are substrates or inhibitors of the transporter of interest.

Tenure track fellow in the Department of Molecular and Clinical Pharmacology, University of Liverpool. I am responsible for my own projects, during which my research interest lie at the interface of drug transporters, blood-brain barrier (BBB) biology and molecular properties that determine the mechanism of transporter action. During my career I have developed skills in biochemistry, molecular cell biology, drug transporter pharmacology and supervision.

Postdoctoral Scientist in the Department of Molecular and Clinical Pharmacology, University of Liverpool in the lab group of Professor Munir Pirmohamed. The project involves investigating the active transport of CNS drugs using in-vitro models of the blood-brain-barrier.Collaborations• Professor Pierre-Olivier Couraud, INSERM, Paris, France • Professor Joan Abbot, Pharmaceutical science division, King's College London Conferences• Host and organiser of the 2nd UK & Ireland Early Career Blood-Brain Barrier Symposium, Liverpool, UK, 2012• Chair of session on “Transporters at the blood-brain barrier and drug delivery” at the UK & Ireland Early Career Blood-Brain Barrier Symposium, Milton Keynes, UK, 2011• Oral presentation at the 14th Symposium on Signal Transduction in the Blood-Brain Barriers in Istanbul, Turkey, 2011• Regular oral presentations at EURPIDES meetings (EU 7th Framework Programme grant, 2008-2011). • Poster presentation at the British Pharmacological Society Winter Meeting, London, UK 2009.• Oral Presentation at the International League Against Epilepsy-UK Chapter, Sheffield, UK, 2009.• Poster presentation; In Vitro Toxicology Society annual meeting (British Toxicology Society), Liverpool, UK, 2009.