Benedict C. Albensi, Ph.D., BCMAS, CRQM, Chair and Professor, Co-Director of the B.R.A.I.N. Ctr.

Scholarly Activities:
- Over 300 abstracts, reviews, book chapters, experimental studies, and oral presentations
- Over $11 million dollars in grant support as PI, co-PI, co-Investigator, or collaborator
- Served on over 30 grant review panels worldwide including NIH, DOD, etc.
- Editor-in-Chief, Molecular Neurobiology; Associate Editor for Brain Injury and Journal of Alzheimer's Disease
- Serves as Chair for ISTAART, Nutrition, Metabolism, and Dementia PIA, Alzheimer's Association, USA
- Former Manitoba Dementia Research Chair and Everett Fund Chair for Alzheimer's Disease
- Serves as Chair for Site Accreditation and Standards Institute (SASI) and former member of Alliance for Clinical Research Excellence and Safety (ACRES)
- Former Board Director for the Alzheimer's Society (Manitoba), MitoCanada, and Brain Injury Association (Manitoba)
- Recipient of the AAAS Willam D. Carey Annual Science Award for PhD thesis proposal - Science magazine
- Listed in Expertscape.com as being in the top 1% worldwide in 6 areas (2011-2021) for the number of publications: Alzheimer Disease (0.33%), neurocognitive disorders (0.44%), dementia (0.57%), NF-kappa B (0.063%), memory (0.61%) & energy metabolism (0.28%)
Research Focus
- Mechanisms of synaptic plasticity and memory impairment
- Alzheimer's disease, brain injury, and epilepsy
- NF-kB's activity in brain function and inflammation
- Mitochondrial function
- Animal models and clinical trials
Rais A. Ansari, Ph.D., Associate Professor
Scholarly Activities:
- Published 20 scientific papers and abstracts
- Reviewer of several journals
- Grant submissions to NIH and several foundations
Research Focus:
- Mechanism of alcohol-mediated hypertension
- Toxicology
Jaleh Barar, Pharm.D., Ph.D.
Scholarly Activities:
- Published over 230 research and review articles in scientific journals
- Co-authored 17 book chapters · Serves as the Editor-in-Chief of the “BioImpacts” journal
- Acts as Peer-reviewer of several journals
- Listed as one of the top 1% worldwide scientists by WoS-ESI ranking · H-index of 49 and i10-index of 141, according to Google Scholar.
Research Focus:
- Cellular drug delivery/targeting
- Multi-functional nanomedicines
- Cancer drug development
- Gene and protein Therapeutics
Luigi Cubeddu, M.D., Ph.D., Professor
Scholarly Activities:
- 160 publications in peer-reviewed journals
- 23 book chapters
- 300 presentations at scientific meetings
Research Focus:
- Mechanisms and treatment of hypertension associated with obesity
- Salt-sensitive hypertension: epidemiology, genetic and acquired factors
- Early detection of insulin resistance and abnormalities in glucose metabolism
- Statin withdrawal syndrome
- Antiviral actions of statins
Richard C. Deth, Ph.D., Professor
Scholarly Activities:
- Over 150 scientific publications, research abstracts, and book chapters
- Published a monograph
- Obtained more than $1 million in research funding from NIH, the American Heart Association, and private foundations
- Reviewer for numerous grant applications and manuscripts
- Expert witness in court cases concerning vaccination and autism
- Holder of 4 patents pertaining to the diagnosis and treatment of schizophrenia and related disorders
Narasimman Gurusamy, M.Pharm, Ph.D.

Scholarly Activities:
- Received $231,000 in a research grant from the American Heart Association as principal investigator, and obtained research grants from King Khalid University as PI and co-PI
- Published over 60 research articles, 55 scientific abstracts, and 6 book chapters
- Serves as Grant Reviewer for American Heart Association. In the past, served as Grant Reviewer for Harvard Catalyst Pilot Research Grants and National Health and Medical Research Council – Australia
- Serves as a reviewer for more than 35 journals and Editorial Borad member for 5 journals
- Associate Editor for Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine
- Guest Editor, Special Issue in Cells
- Serves as PhD thesis reviewer for 6 universities in India
- A recipient of Young Research Scientist Award from Antiviral Research Society, India, and Travel Awards from American Heart Association and University of Tennessee Health Science Center
Research Interest:
- Elucidating the disease progression and repair mechanisms of cardiovascular diseases
- Epigenetic regulation by non-coding RNAv
- Treatment with exosomes, stem cells and pharmaceutical agents
- Autophagy in cardiac diseases and repair
- Epigenetic regulation by environmental factors and human lifestyle in inducing diseases
Young M. Kwon, Ph.D., Associate Professor
Scholarly Activities:
- Published 25 peer-reviewed scientific research papers
- Authored two book chapters
- Made 30 national and international scientific presentations
- Co-authored 1 U.S. and several international patents
- Reviewer for more than 10 scientific journals
Research Focus:
- Targeted delivery and triggered release system for therapeutic macromolecules
- Bioconjugate chemistry and PEGylation
- Nonviral gene carriers and intracellular drug delivery
- Protein stability and release from biodegradable polymer
Jean J. Latimer, Ph.D., Associate Professor; Director, AutoNation Institute for Breast Cancer Research & Care
Scholarly Activities:
- Garnered over $17,455,000 in research grants from the National Institutes of Health, the American Cancer Society, the Department of Defense, and private entities
- Published 35 scientific papers, reports, book chapters, and books
- Presented over 100 scientific abstracts at national and international meetings
- Served as a reviewer for five journals, the National Cancer Institute, NASA, and the American Cancer Society
- Served as study section chairperson for the Komen for the Cure, the U.S. Department of Defense, and the New York State Department of Health
- Authored 4 patents
Research Focus:
- Loss of DNA repair as causative factor in cancer formation
- Breast tissue engineering
- Ancestral disparity in breast cancer development and pharmacogenomics
- Drug resistance (via cancer stem cells) in childhood leukemia
AutoNation Institute for Breast Cancer Research & Care
Anastasios Lymperopoulos, Ph.D., Associate Professor

Scholarly Activities:
- Fellow of the American Heart Association (FAHA) with its Basic Cardiovascular Sciences (BCVS) Council since 2011
- American Heart Association (AHA)`s Post-Doctoral Research Fellow (2005-2008) and Scientist Development Grant (SDG) active awardee (AHA National Center) for $314,000
- 2006 American Heart Association`s Melvin L. Marcus Young Investigator Award in Cardiovascular Sciences finalist and 2010 Cardiovascular Research Award of the Council on Basic Cardiovascular Sciences of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) finalist
- Over 28 publications in biomedical research journals
- Chapter author in 3 educational textbooks
- Peer reviewer for the American Heart Association`s Basic Cardiovascular Sciences Council
- Member of the editorial boards of the American Journal of Cardiovascular Disease and the Journal of Carcinogenesis and Mutagenesis
- Scientific manuscript reviewer for five journals
- Co-inventor in two provisional patents
Research Focus:
- Cardiovascular biology/pharmacology and gene therapy, with a focus on adrenergic system regulation in heart failure
- Novel roles of G-protein coupled receptor kinases and their co-factors
Dmitriy Minond, Ph.D., Associate Professor
Scholarly Activities
- Obtained more than $3,500,000.00 in research grants from NIH, State of Florida, private organizations, and intramural mechanisms as a principal investigator and co-investigator
- Inventor and co-inventor on several patents
- Published more than 50 scientific papers and book chapters
- Presented in multiple international and national research conferences
- Served as a reviewer for numerous journals
- Served as a reviewer for NIH, NSU President’s Faculty Research and Development Grant, and Department of Defense
Research Focus:
- Cancer drug and target discovery
- Metalloproteinase enzymology, drug and probe discovery
Enrique A. Nieves, Ph.D., Clinical Assistant Professor
Scholarly Activities:
- Served as reviewer for two scientific journals
- Organized a symposium on nanotechnology applications in drug delivery in San Juan, P.R.
- Established research collaboration with local and international universities
- One-time recipient of the Health Professions Division Research Grant
- Various poster and podium presentations at professional meetings
- Author or co-author of U.S. and international patents
Research Focus:
- Applications of nanotechnology in drug product development and pharmaceutical process designs in small and large scale
- Applications of PAT technologies in drug development and manufacturing
- Development of co-excipients for improved drug formulations
- Nanotechnology applications in the extraction and isolation of new drugs from natural sources
- Applied research in new technology applications in drug design and development from molecule to market
Yadollah Omidi, Pharm.D., Ph.D., Professor
Scholarly Activities:
- Published over 320 scientific papers, and book chapters
- Acts as the Editor-in-Chief of Bioimpacts and Editorial Board of Nanomedicine, Biologicals, BMC Pharmacology and Toxicology, DARU Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences
- Serves as a reviewer for 35 journals
- Contributed to several grants
- Listed as the top 1% of scientists worldwide by ESI-WoS
Research Focus:
- Multifunctional nanomedicines and theranostics
- Targeted drug delivery systems for detrimental diseases
- Bioengineering: tissue engineering and diagnostic nanobiosystems
- Computational biology
- Biologicals: vaccines and immunotherapies
More on Google Scholar.
Hamid Omidian, Ph.D., Professor
Scholarly Activities:
- Primary inventor of 3 issued U.S. patents, 11 patent applications, and 31 invention disclosures
- Author or co-author of 120 peer-reviewed journal publications and 188 conference presentations
- Author or co-author of 37 books and book chapters
- Principal investigator, co-principal investigator, and co-investigator of grant proposals and industry contracts worth $2.9 million
- Three-time Golden Apple nominee and one-time Golden Apple winner for teaching excellence
- Google Scholar’s citations of 7644, h-index of 34, and i10-index of 65
- On the editorial board of several journals
Research Focus:
- Opioid Abuse and Overdose
- Abuse-Deterrent Formulations
- Gastric Retention and Oral Retentive Drug Delivery
- Pharmaceutical Polymers and Hydrogels
- Drug Delivery Technologies
- Pharmaceutical Formulations
Appu Rathinavelu, Ph.D., Professor, Executive Director Rumbaugh Goodwin Institute
Scholarly Activities:
- Garnered approximately $200,000 in research funding
- Published over 50 articles in refereed journals
- Made 100 presentations at regional and national scientific meetings
- Primary inventor of 6 patents and co-author of 1 patent application
- Co-authored 3 book chapters and 1 book
- Reviewer for more than 10 scientific journals
Research Focus:
- Drug discovery and testing
- Biomarker development for disease diagnosis and management
- Gene expression analysis in highly metastatic tumors
- Understanding intracellular pathway regulating angiogenesis
- ANP receptor regulation and cardiovascular function
Robert C. Speth, Ph.D., Professor
Scholarly Activities:
- Published over 190 manuscripts in peer-reviewed journals
- Authored 39 book chapters and other scholarly publications
- Co-edited 1 book
- Co-edited special issue of the International Journal of Hypertension
- Organized symposia for the Society for Veterinary Medical Ethics and a symposium for the Southeastern Pharmacology Society
- NIH supported research on renin-angiotensin
Research Focus:
- Renin-angiotensin system and regulation of the cardiovascular system by the brain
- Development and analysis of novel compounds to study the renin-angiotensin system
- Radioligand preparation and use to study receptors
- Development of a novel rodent brain atlas
- Neurodegenerative diseases
Malav S. Trivedi, Ph.D., Assistant Professor
Scholarly Activities:
- Recipient of $500,000 in research/scholarship grants from private organizations and funding agencies as co-investigator or principal investigator
- Reviewer for three scientific journals
- Associate editor for the Journal of Frontiers in Biosciences
Research Focus:
- Nutritional biochemistry and molecular effects of nutritional interventions in vitro, in vivo, and in clinical samples
- Pre-clinical and clinical evaluation of metabolic and epigenetic changes on nuclear and mitochondrial DNA in neurodevelopmental disorders
- Tumor biology and microenvironment
- Gulf war illness and chronic fatigue syndrome