College of Pharmacy Faculty
Department of Pharmacological and Pharmaceutical Sciences

Lindsay A. Schwarz, Ph.D.
Visiting Assistant Professor
521 Science and Research Building 2
713-743-1778

Education
B.S. University of Maryland
Medical Technology, USPHS, Baltimore
Ph.D. University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston

Research Interests:
Gene therapy
Aging heart

Our laboratory has been using pharmacological agents to improve the cellular uptake, retention and expression of genes for the purposes of effective non-viral gene therapy. We have determined that cytoskeletal dynamics may be critical to the success of gene delivery and expression. Using glucocorticoids and anti-mitotics to alter cytoskeletal dynamics, we can improve expression of the transgene 20-50 fold. The molecular mechanisms by which these drug agents improve transfected gene expression is currently under investigation.

Courses:
PHAR 4330 Pharmaceutics I
PHAR 4331 Pharmaceutics  II

Affiliations:
American Association for the Advancement of Science
Sigma Xi
American Society of Gene Therapy
American Heart Association
Rho Chi, National Pharmacy Honorary Society

Selected Publications:
Nair, R.R., J. R. Rodgers and Schwarz, L.A., "Enhancement of transgene expression by combining glucocorticoids and anti-mitotic agents during transient transfection using DNA-cationic liposomes". 2002. Molecular Therapy, 5:1-8.

Aggarwal, B.B., Schwarz, L.A., Hogan, M.E. and Rando, R. (1996). Triple helix-forming oligodeoxyribonucleotides targeted to the human tumor necrosis factor (TNF) gene inhibits TNF production and blocks the TNF-dependent growth of human glioblastoma tumor cells. Can. Res. 56: 5156-5164.

Schwarz, L.A., Cheng, S.H., Hogan, M.E., Johnson, J.L., Black, M. and Waldrep, J.C. (1996). Delivery of DNA-liposome complexes by small particle aerosol. Hum. Gene Therapy 7:731-74