Current Research Projects

Current research involves translations studies in clinical neuropharmacology with a specific emphasis on population pharmacokinetics in special populations. Projects have included a focus on drug addiction, community-dwelling and nursing home elderly patients with epilepsy, the pediatric population, and pregnant women. We have developed an expertise in population modeling, which is especially advantageous when studying special patient populations because it can be used to model sparse data, as opposed to intensive sampling protocols that are impractical or even impossible to use when collecting data in some populations, such as elderly or pregnant individuals.

Physiological-based Pharmacokinetics Approach to Determine the Extent of Drug Exposure of Antiseizure Medications During Pregnancy and Breastfeeding 

NIH/NICHD R01 HD105305- 2021-2026

The purpose of this study is to determine the mechanistic basis of alterations in antiseizure medication concentrations during pregnancy and lactation. The outcomes of this effort will enable physiological-based modeling and approaches to optimize antiseizure medication dosing and decrease seizure risk during pregnancy while limiting unnecessary exposure (risk) to the fetus and breastfeeding child. 

PI: Angela Birnbaum. Rory Remmel, Page Pennell - Co-Investigators

Neurobehavioral Impacts of Medical Cannabis Treatment in Chronic Pain Patients

Medical Discovery Team on Addiction, University of Minnesota Medical School - 2020-2022

The purpose of this study is to assess cognition, neural function, mental health, and drug exposure in chronic pain patients treated with medical cannabis and will differentiate outcomes based on the use of specific CBD-dominant vs. THC-dominate treatment products.

PIs: Monica Luciana, Angela Birnbaum

Novel nanovaccines against opioid use disorder

NIH/NIDA UG3 DA047711 - 2019-2023 

This project will fabricate novel nanoparticle-based vaccines against opioid use disorders. The goal is to create a treatment strategy that will lead to an effective immune response against target opioids through unique features including efficient presentation of B cell and T cell epitopes, improved uptake of vaccine particles by immune cells, and incorporation of molecular adjuvants to promote a synergistic activation of adaptive immune pathways.

PI: Marco Pravetoni. Angela Birnbaum - Co-Investigator

Maternal Outcomes and Neurodevelopmental Effects of Antiepileptic Drugs (MONEAD2)

NINDS/NICHD U01 NS038455 - 2018 - 2023 

This is a renewal of the MONEAD study of the effects of drug exposure of antiepileptic drugs on  woman with and without epilepsy and their child during pregnancy.  This is the follow-up portion of the study that will follow children up to 6 years of age.

PIs: Kimford Meador, Page Pennell, Ryan May. Pharmacokinetics Core Director/U of MN PI: Angela Birnbaum

Pharsight-University of Minnesota Pharmaceutics Collaboration

Training grant              

The goal of this research is to apply new models and methods to biological data and to evaluate the models and methods in reference to known, published results. 

Our pharmacometrics group trains ECP graduate students in pharmacometric methods and was designated a Phoenix Center of Excellence by Pharsight Corporation, one of only five centers from around the world so named.

In addition, I established my own relationship with Pharsight Corporation by developing a student-teaching program that involved our pharmacometric students in Pharsight’s training sessions. Pharsight soon recognized that our pharmacometrics students have an in-depth understanding of not only the software, but underlying pharmacokinetic theory. This has helped us maintain our Center of Excellence status and has presented students with valuable opportunities and visibility. 

PI: Angela Birnbaum