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Chemistry and Physiological Systems Research Branch (CPSRB)

What We Do:

The Chemistry and Physiological Systems Research Branch (CPSRB) supports research on all aspects of chemistry and the physiological systems affected by drugs of abuse.

Program Areas:

This branch supports research programs on

  • The effects of drugs on central nervous system and physiological systems, including those related to immune functions and AIDS
  • The discovery of endogenous ligands, and the role of endogenous ligands and systems relevant to drug action, and addiction
  • The studies of absorption, metabolism, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, elimination, transport and delivery
  • Investigations on analytical methods development, proteomics, protein folding and related functional genomics and structural biology
  • Synthesis, structure-function relationships, conformational studies, structural biology, ligand design of all drugs abuse; synthesis of affinity reagents, chemical probes, drug-receptor interaction model to elucidate drug action
  • Perinatal drug exposure and the effects of confounding factors, such as, maternal and environmental stress, nutrition etc, on neural systems and other organs using animal models and other cellular approaches
  • Pharmacological aspects exposure to drugs of abuse in utero.
  • Research investigating the effects of drugs of abuse exposure on cardiovascular, pulmonary and other biological systems using in vivo and in vitro models

Funding Announcements:

NIDA Drug Supply Program:

The NIDA Drug Supply Program is administered by the Chemistry & Physiological Systems Research Branch. In addition to funding research in drug abuse, addiction, prevention, and treatment, NIDA facilitates such research to accomplish its mission by providing chemicals and research probes that are either unavailable, difficult to obtain, or very expensive to buy to researchers. In addition, this program also provides analytical services for the analysis of researchers experimental samples.

For additional information contact Hari Singh, Ph.D. or Kevin Gormley

Staff Research Interests:

  • Rao S. Rapaka, Ph.D. - Chief
    (301) 443-1887
    Focuses on chemistry, drug design, peptides & proteomics, enzymology.
  • Thomas Aigner, Ph.D. - Health Scientist Administrator
    (301) 443-1887
    Supports research on imaging, nanomedicine and other emerging technologies.
  • Paul S. Hillery, Ph.D. - Health Scientist Administrator
    (301) 443-1887
    Supports research in organic & medicinal chemistry, structural biology.
  • Vishnudutt Purohit, D.V.M., Ph.D. - Health Scientist Administrator
    (301) 443-1887
    Administers research in the areas of prenatal/perinatal exposure, maternal/fetal pharmacokinetics, placental transport, mechanisms of pain/analgesia, and physiological systems such as cardiovascular, pulmonary, reproduction, and immunology.
  • Hari H. Singh, Ph.D. - Health Scientist Administrator
    (301) 443-1887
    Focuses on peptide, medicinal, analytical chemistry, Drug supply and analytical services.
  • Kevin Gormley - Drug Supply Program Coordinator
    (301) 435-0264

This page was last updated April 2012

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