Surabhi Madhukar Talele is the Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics Highlighted Trainee Author for the December 2021 issue. She is a predoctoral trainee pursuing a PhD in Pharmaceutics at the University of Minnesota. Her mentor is Dr. William F. Elmquist. The JPET article that earned her selection as a Highlighted Trainee Author is titled “Brain Distribution of Berzosertib: An ATR Inhibitor for the Treatment of Glioblastoma” and is available at https://doi.org/10.1124/jpet.121.000845.
Ms. Talele’s areas of research are central nervous system (CNS) pharmacokinetics and drug distribution. She is currently working on DNA damage response (DDR) signaling pathways, which play a critical role in DNA repair in cancer cells and resistance to radiation and chemotherapy. The inhibition of these pathways augments tumor cell toxicity by providing a sensitizing effect. In her thesis project, she aims to study the CNS distribution and pharmacokinetics of three DDR inhibitors in development and identify the best candidate/regimen to be used for effective chemo/radio sensitization for brain tumors.
The anticipated impact of Ms. Talele’s research is that the insights gained from the CNS drug distribution and preclinical efficacy studies in the appropriate patient-derived xenograft models of brain tumors can guide and expedite the development of clinically effective combination therapies for the treatment of debilitating brain tumors. Integrating the understanding of potency, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and preclinical efficacy of these agents will provide a rational framework for studying a wide range of DDR inhibitors for use in the case of brain tumors.
When not in the lab, Surabhi enjoys painting, cooking, and traveling.