Jonathan H. Freedman, Ph.D., previously at the Integrated Toxicology Program, Duke University Medical Center in Durham, NC and Biomolecular Screening Branch, National Toxicology Program & Laboratory of Toxicology and Pharmacology, ETP, DIR at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, NIH, Research Triangle Park, NC, joined UofL's Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology with an appointment as Professor effective January 1, 2015.  His research program focuses on understanding the mechanisms by which transition metals affect the transcription of both specific genes and entire genomes through the activation of intracellular signal transduction pathways ultimately leading to adverse human health effects.  A second research area is to develop in vivo toxicological assays using the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans and evaluate their utility as medium- and high-throughput screening tools.  This research area is part of the international effort to reduce, refine or replace vertebrate animals in chemical testing.

Joshua L. Hood, M.D., Ph.D., previously at the Consortium for Translational Research in Advanced Imaging and Nanomedicine (C-TRAIN), Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, joined UofL's Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology with an appointment as Assistant Professor effective January 1, 2015.  His research program focuses on translational design and implementation of biology inspired nanomedicine supported by biologic nanovesicle (exosome) investigations.  Exosome function and nanocarrier properties in the context of tumor angiogenesis and pre-metastatic niche formation are explored with a specific focus on melanoma.  Derivative projects include development of exosome based biomarkers for disease and nanomedicines to combat pathogenic exosomes and similarly structured viruses.