Nadezhda German Laboratory
About Us
Welcome to the German lab, founded in 2015 and located at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center in Amarillo. Our work is at the interface of chemistry and medicine, where we work towards the design, synthesis, and pre-clinical evaluation of small molecules with therapeutic potential. Current research projects include design and synthesis of GPCR ligands, particularly opioid receptor ligands, aimed towards the treatment of neuropathic pain, depression, addiction, and alcoholism. Our second area of interest is the design, synthesis and pharmacological evaluation of compounds as potential treatment of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC).
Research Interest
- Design and synthesis of GPCR ligands
- Evaluation of compounds as potential treatment of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC)
The Team
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Siavash Shahbazi Nia Ph.D. Candidate/ Research Assistant |
Sadisna Shahi Graduate Student/ Research Assistant |
Anoushka Bhat Graduate Student / Research Assistant |
Rayna Bandy Graduate Student / Research Assistant |
Honors & Awards
2021
- Best Poster Award, Graduate/Undergraduate Student Level, Clinical Category, Fifth Annual Research Symposium: Aging-Related Health Issues and Alzheimer’s Disease, Center of Excellence for Translational Neuroscience and Therapeutics (CTNT) and Garrison Institute on Aging (GIA), TTUHSC in Lubbock (virtual); May 2021: Siavash Shahbazi Nia
- Second Place Junior Graduate Poster Winner, SOP Research Days, TTUHSC Jerry H Hodge School of Pharmacy, Amarillo (virtual); June 2021: Naana Quagraine
- Mary Lou Clements-Mann Scholarship, TTUHSC Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, September 2021: Sadisna Shahi
2020
- TTUHSC President’s Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences Scholarship, Fall 2020: Naana Quagraine
Mohammad Anwar Hossain (current position: Postdoctoral trainee at UNC)
Md Ashraf Uz Zaman (current position: Postdoctoral trainee at Baylor)
Content 2 Here
1. Ashraf-Uz-Zaman M, Bhalerao A, Mikelis C, Cucullo L, German N. Assessing the Current State of Lung Cancer Chemoprevention: A Comprehensive Overview. Cancers. 2020;12(5).
2. Jayaraman S, Al Shoyaib A, Kocot J, Villalba H, Alamri FF, Rashid M, Wangler NJ, Chowdhury EA, German N, Arumugam TV, Abbruscato TJ, Karamyan VT. Peptidase neurolysin functions to preserve the brain after ischemic stroke in male mice. Journal of neurochemistry. 2020;153(1):120-137.
3. Hossain MA, Sattenapally N, Parikh HI, Li W, Rumbaugh KP, German N. Design, synthesis, and evaluation of compounds capable of reducing Pseudomonas aeruginosa virulence. European journal of medicinal chemistry. 2020;185:111800.
4. Nguyen T, Gamage TF, Decker AM, German N, Langston TL, Farquhar CE, Kenakin TP, Wiley JL, Thomas BF, Zhang Y. Diarylureas Containing 5-Membered Heterocycles as CB1 Receptor Allosteric Modulators: Design, Synthesis, and Pharmacological Evaluation. ACS chemical neuroscience. 2019;10(1):518-527.
5. Dukat M, Jain A, German N, Ferrara-Pontoriero R, Huang Y, Ma Y, Schulte MK, Glennon RA. Desformylflustrabromine (dFBr): A Structure-Activity Study on Its Ability To Potentiate the Action of Acetylcholine at α4β2 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors. ACS chemical neuroscience. 2018;9(12):2984-2996.
6. Ashraf-Uz-Zaman M, Sajib MS, Cucullo L, Mikelis C, German N. Analogs of penfluridol as chemotherapeutic agents with reduced central nervous system activity. Bioorganic & medicinal chemistry letters. 2018;28(23-24):3652-3657.
7. Patel R, Hossain MA, German N, Al-Ahmad A. Gliotoxin penetrates and impairs the integrity of the human blood-brain barrier in vitro. Mycotoxin research. 2018;34(4):257-268.
8. Gandhi K, Li C, German N, Skobowiat C, Carrillo M, Kallem RR, Larumbe E, Martinez S, Chuecos M, Ventolini G, Nathanielsz P, Schlabritz-Loutsevitch N. Effect of maternal high-fat diet on key components of the placental and hepatic endocannabinoid system. American journal of physiology. Endocrinology and metabolism. 2018;314(4):E322-E333.
9. Sajib S, Zahra FT, Lionakis MS, German N, Mikelis C. Mechanisms of angiogenesis in microbe-regulated inflammatory and neoplastic conditions. Angiogenesis. 2018;21(1):1-14.
10. Nguyen T, German N, Decker AM, Langston TL, Gamage TF, Farquhar CE, Li JX, Wiley JL, Thomas BF, Zhang Y. Novel Diarylurea Based Allosteric Modulators of the Cannabinoid CB1 Receptor: Evaluation of Importance of 6-Pyrrolidinylpyridinyl Substitution. Journal of medicinal chemistry. 2017;60(17):7410-7424.
11. Ranjan A, German N, Mikelis C, Srivenugopal KS, Srivastava SK. Penfluridol induces endoplasmic reticulum stress leading to autophagy in pancreatic cancer. Tumour biology : the journal of the International Society for Oncodevelopmental Biology and Medicine. 2017;39(6):1010428317705517.
12. Hao X, Lüthje F, Rønn R, German N, Li X, Huang F, Kisaka J, Huffman D, Alwathnani HA, Zhu YG, Rensing C. A role for copper in protozoan grazing - two billion years selecting for bacterial copper resistance. Molecular microbiology. 2016;102(4):628-641.
13. Schlabritz-Loutsevitch N, German N, Ventolini G, Larumbe E, Samson J. Fetal Syndrome of Endocannabinoid Deficiency (FSECD) In Maternal Obesity. Medical hypotheses. 2016;96:35-38.
14. Taudte N, German N, Zhu YG, Grass G, Rensing C. Restoration of growth by manganese in a mutant strain of Escherichia coli lacking most known iron and manganese uptake systems. Biometals : an international journal on the role of metal ions in biology, biochemistry, and medicine. 2016;29(3):433-50.
15. German N, Lüthje F, Hao X, Rønn R, Rensing C. Microbial Virulence and Interactions With Metals. Progress in molecular biology and translational science. 2016;142:27-49.
16. Durham PG, Zhang Y, German N, Mortensen N, Dhillon J, Mitchison DA, Fourie PB, Hickey AJ. Correction for Spray Dried Aerosol Particles of Pyrazinoic Acid Salts for Tuberculosis Therapy. Molecular pharmaceutics. 2015;12(10):3782.
17. Durham PG, Zhang Y, German N, Mortensen N, Dhillon J, Mitchison DA, Fourie PB, Hickey AJ. Spray Dried Aerosol Particles of Pyrazinoic Acid Salts for Tuberculosis Therapy. [Corrected]. Molecular pharmaceutics. 2015;12(8):2574-81.
18. Hao X, Lüthje FL, Qin Y, McDevitt SF, Lutay N, Hobman JL, Asiani K, Soncini FC, German N, Zhang S, Zhu YG, Rensing C. Survival in amoeba--a major selection pressure on the presence of bacterial copper and zinc resistance determinants? Identification of a "copper pathogenicity island". Applied microbiology and biotechnology. 2015;99(14):5817-24.
19. Nguyen T, German N, Decker AM, Li JX, Wiley JL, Thomas BF, Kenakin TP, Zhang Y. Structure-activity relationships of substituted 1H-indole-2-carboxamides as CB1 receptor allosteric modulators. Bioorganic & medicinal chemistry. 2015;23(9):2195-2203.
20. Perrey DA, German N, Decker AM, Thorn D, Li JX, Gilmour BP, Thomas BF, Harris DL, Runyon SP, Zhang Y. Effect of 1-substitution on tetrahydroisoquinolines as selective antagonists for the orexin-1 receptor. ACS chemical neuroscience. 2015;6(4):599-614.
21. German N, Decker AM, Gilmour BP, Gay EA, Wiley JL, Thomas BF, Zhang Y. Diarylureas as allosteric modulators of the cannabinoid CB1 receptor: structure-activity relationship studies on 1-(4-chlorophenyl)-3-{3-[6-(pyrrolidin-1-yl)pyridin-2-yl]phenyl}urea (PSNCBAM-1). Journal of medicinal chemistry. 2014;57(18):7758-69.
22. German N, Decker AM, Gilmour BP, Thomas BF, Zhang Y. Truncated Orexin Peptides: Structure-Activity Relationship Studies. ACS medicinal chemistry letters. 2013;4(12):1224-1227.
23. German N, Doyscher D, Rensing C. Bacterial killing in macrophages and amoeba: do they all use a brass dagger?. Future microbiology. 2013;8(10):1257-64.
24. Perrey DA, German N, Gilmour BP, Li JX, Harris DL, Thomas BF, Zhang Y. Substituted tetrahydroisoquinolines as selective antagonists for the orexin 1 receptor. Journal of medicinal chemistry. 2013;56(17):6901-16.
25. German N, Kim JS, Jain A, Dukat M, Pandya A, Ma Y, Weltzin M, Schulte MK, Glennon RA. Deconstruction of the α4β2 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor positive allosteric modulator desformylflustrabromine. Journal of medicinal chemistry. 2011;54(20):7259-67.
updated: 10/11/2022
Contact Us:
Nadezhda German, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences
Office: (806) 414-9190
Office: SOP 442 | Lab: SOP 426
School of Pharmacy Building
Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center
1300 S. Coulter St.
Amarillo, TX, USA, 79106
Pharmacy Researcher Finds Her Niche in Medicinal Chemistry
Written by: Mark Hendricks
When Nadia German, Ph.D., earned her master’s degree in chemistry and chemistry education, she was prepared to make a career related to that field. However, an invitation from a former professor altered her plans.
“In 2000, I had participated in the exchange program with the University of Northern Iowa,” German recalls. “One of the professors I worked with at that time invited me in 2003 to join his Ph.D. program at the University of Iowa. And this is how I joined the field of medicinal chemistry, something I have enjoyed ever since.”