OHSU’s University Shared Resources program, which serves researchers across the university, has three new leaders in core laboratories.
Andrea DeBarber, Ph.D. is now the director of the Bioanalytical/Pharmacokinetics (BSR/PK) Shared Resource. The BSR/PKCore analyzes drugs and their metabolites and bio-molecules such as simple peptides, oligonucleotides, carbohydrates, lipids, fatty acids and steroids–including the development of analytical methods, sample preparation, and data analysis for clinical trials and basic science investigations.
DeBarber took the reins from Dr. Dennis Koop, who retired from the core earlier this year. A bioanalytical chemist with extensive expertise in the development and validation of quantitative LC-MS/MS methods, DeBarber served as Associate Director of the BSR/PK Core for the past 18 yrs. She has performed research over the last two decades in the field of rare genetic disorders of lipid synthesis, identifying small molecule disease biomarkers and developing improved screening and clinical diagnostic testing for sterol and bile acid disorders.
Ashok Reddy, Ph.D., has been serving as the director of the Proteomics Shared Resource since March 2020, replacing Larry David, Ph.D., who retired as director and now is faculty advisor to the core. The Proteomics Shared Resource provides global, state-of-the-art mass spectrometry analysis of proteins in biological samples to OHSU researchers.
Reddy is a bioanalytical chemist with extensive research experience in academia and industry; he was the associated director of the core from 2010 until assuming directorship. His research expertise includes toxicology, environmental carcinogenesis, chemoprevention, mass spectrometry, and biomarker discovery. His work has led to patented biomarkers and substantial venture capital investment for a previous employer, Proteogenix, Inc. His research interests are in discovering and validating disease biomarkers in body fluids and tumor markers in cancer tissues and extracellular vesicles.
Mike Munks, Ph.D., is the new director of the Flow Cytometry Shared Resource, which provides advanced sorters and analyzers for flow cytometry. The OHSU monoclonal antibody shared resource will now be under his direction as well in a newly merged core. Flow cytometry is a technology that simultaneously measures and then analyzes physical and chemical properties of single particles or cells, as they flow in a fluid stream through a beam of light. The properties measured include a particle’s relative size, relative granularity or internal complexity, and relative fluorescence intensity.
Munks trained as an immunologist studying T cells, antibodies, and vaccines, in the context of viral infections and recently joined the Brenden-Colson Center for Pancreatic Care as a staff scientist. His active research projects include 3D bioprinting of pancreatic tumors and immune cells, developing a breast cancer vaccine, and testing a novel immunotherapy for adult T cell leukemia. He takes over from longtime Flow Cytometry director Philip Streeter, Ph.D.
