Speaker Profile
Ph.D., Professor of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine
Biography
Todd Skaar did his graduate work in nutrition at the University of Wisconsin, lactation physiology at the Penn State University, and a postdoc in breast cancer drug resistance at the Lombardi Cancer Center at Georgetown University. Since joining the Division of Clinical Pharmacology at the Indiana University School of Medicine, his research has focused on the discovery and implementation of genomic predictors of drug response. More specifically, his studies are focused on identifying and functionally testing genetic variants in the drug metabolism genes that are associated with clinical drug efficacy and toxicity. They also include studies to identify miRNAs that contribute to the drug-induced and developmental changes in hepatic drug metabolism. He co-leads multiple pharmacogenomics implementation clinical trials focused on identifying and overcoming the barriers to using pharmacogenomics to guide drug therapies. He is also a co-leader of the Cancer Prevention & Control Program of the Indiana University Cancer Center.
Talk
Functional Assay Validation Of Clinical Pharmacogenomic Variants
New variants in clinically actionable pharmacogenomics genes are continually being discovered. Many of these cannot be tested in cohorts of patients because of their low allelic frequency. This talk will discuss multiplexed in vitro assays that can provide functional data to guide the classification of these variants.
Session Abstract – PMWC 2020 Silicon Valley
Pharmacists have long recognized that using unique patient characteristics to guide pharmacotherapy decision-making can improve drug response and mitigate drug-associated risks. Age, weight, and dietary habits were among the first patient-specific characteristics used to individualize pharmacotherapy. As technologies advanced, analytic tools that measure surrogate markers of liver and renal function, together with drug concentrations in biological fluids, were adopted to optimize therapeutic regimens. Cutting-edge genomic technologies are now being integrated into patient care for the selection of targeted therapies and identification of those at increased risk of poor pharmacotherapy outcomes. Precision Pharmacotherapy is combining genetic, environmental, lifestyle, and other unique patient or disease characteristics to guide drug selection and dosage. This session will introduce the concept and give many examples of how precision pharmacotherapy is used in specialties such as pediatrics, psychology, cardiology and oncology to guide prescribing.
