Ayman El-Kadi, PhD

Area of Study / Keywords

Drug Metabolism Cardiovascular Pharmacology Heavy Metals Toxicology

About

Dr. El-Kadi is a professor in the Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences at the University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada since 2001. At University of Alberta he moved through the ranks from Assistant to Full Professor. He was the Chair of Pharmaceutical Sciences Division (2005-2008), Director of Graduate Studies (2008-2009), Assistant Dean International (2016-2019) and the Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies (2009-2013 & 2019-current). Dr. El-Kadi was the Dean of College of Pharmacy at Qatar University, Doha, Qatar (2013-2016). Dr. El-Kadi received his BSc in Pharmacy and MSc in Pharmacology from Tripoli and Benghazi University (Libya) in 1990 and 1994, respectively. In 1999 he received his PhD in Pharmacology from University of Montreal (Montreal, Quebec, Canada). Thereafter, he did postdoctoral training in Molecular Toxicology at the University of Western Ontario (London, Ontario, Canada).

Dr. El-Kadi’s research interests are in the areas of Pharmacology and Molecular and Environmental Toxicology. His research resulted in over 170 peer-reviewed papers in prestigious journals and similar number of abstracts and presentations. His research is supported by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC), Canadian Institute of Health Research (CIHR), Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, Canadian Foundation for Innovation (CFI) and several Biotech companies. He has supervised significant number of undergraduate, MSc, PhD students and postdoctoral fellows. He has served as editor, associate editor and member of the editorial board for a number of journals in the pharmaceutical sciences.

Research

Research in my lab is focused on three specific areas:

1. Understanding (i) the potential interaction between heavy metals and aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) ligands which are common in the environment on the regulation of AhR-regulated genes, and (ii) investigate the effects of AhR ligand/metal mixtures on AhR ligands-mediated mutagenicity and carcinogenicity. These studies will a) increase our knowledge about the effect of heavy metals on the AhR-regulated genes, and b) provide the information that will help to design strategies to improve treatment of AhR ligands mediated mutagenicity and carcinogenicity.

2. Understanding the role of cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes in the pathogenesis of cardiac hypertrophy. Understanding the pathogenesis of cardiac hypertrophy may provide important clues for the development of rational therapies for the prevention and treatment of heart failure. The development of these rational therapies will decrease morbidity and mortality and hence diminish health care costs.

3. To identify an aryl hydrocarbon receptor antagonist from natural source that may serve as anticancer drug.

Publications:

List of Pubmed publications is found here:

Representative publications:

1. Heavy metals and drug metabolizing enzymes:

Anwar-Mohamed A, Elshenawy OH, Soshilov AA, Denison MS, Chris Le X, Klotz LO, El-Kadi AO. Methylated pentavalent arsenic metabolites are bifunctional inducers, as they induce cytochrome P450 1A1 and NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase through AhR- and Nrf2-dependent mechanisms. Free Radic Biol Med, 67:171-87, 2014.

Amara IE, Anwar-Mohamed A, Abdelhamid G, El-Kadi AO.Mercury modulates the cytochrome P450 1a1, 1a2 and 1b1 in C57BL/6J mice: in vivo and in vitro studies.Toxicol Appl Pharmacol, 266(3):419-29, 2013.

2. Role of Cytochrome P450 in cardiac hypertrophy:

El-Sherbeni AA, El-Kadi AO. Alterations in cytochrome P450-derived arachidonic acid metabolism during pressure overload-induced cardiac hypertrophy. Biochem Pharmacol, 87(3):456-66, 2014.

Althurwi HN, Tse MM, Abdelhamid G, Zordoky BN, Hammock BD, El-Kadi AO. Soluble epoxide hydrolase inhibitor, TUPS, protects against isoprenaline-induced cardiac hypertrophy. Br J Pharmacol, 168(8):1794-807, 2013.

3. Identifying anticancer drug from natural source:

El Gendy MA, Soshilov AA, Denison MS, El-Kadi AO. Transcriptional and posttranslational inhibition of dioxin-mediated induction of CYP1A1 by harmine and harmol. Toxicol Lett, 208(1):51-61, 2012.

El Gendy MA, Somayaji V, El-Kadi AO. Peganum harmala L. is a candidate herbal plant for preventing dioxin mediated effects. Planta Med, 76(7):671-7, 2010.

Teaching

Undergraduate:

PHARM 201 - Principles of Medicinal Chemistry

PHARM 203 - Introduction to Pharmacology 1

PHARM 401 - Toxicology, Drugs of Abuse and Related Pharmacology

Graduate courses:

Pharm 630 - Metabolism and Excretion of Drugs (coordinator)

Pharm 610 - Advanced Pharmacokinetics

PHARM 564 - Toxicology of Pharmaceutical Agents and Related Xenobiotics

PHARM 566 - Cellular Aspects of Drug Delivery and Targets

PHARM 201 - Principles of Medicinal Chemistry

Introduces students to fundamental principles in medicinal chemistry necessary to understand the relationship between drug structure and drug action. The clinical relevance of medicinal chemistry will be explored through examination of drug structure, properties, classification, cell targets, and selected design/development strategies. (Restricted to Pharmacy students.)

PHARM 233 - Introduction to Pharmacology 2

Building on pharmacology fundamentals introduced in Pharm 203, students will continue learning fundamental principles of pharmacology that affect other organ systems, as well as core concepts on the mechanisms of action for drugs including those used in the treatment of various diseases. (Restricted to Pharmacy students.)

PHARM 630 - The Metabolism and Excretion of Drugs

The chemistry, biochemistry and kinetics of drug metabolism together with the factors affecting metabolism; the practical aspects of in vitro and in vivo studies of drug metabolism; the excretion of drugs by various routes and factors affecting excretion, the kinetics of excretion. Note: Offered alternate years.

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