Background
Dr. Kaushal’s area of research interest is in pharmaceutics, with principle areas of expertise in; drug delivery systems, formulation development, controlled drug delivery, drug stability, drug solubility, pharmacokinetics, etc. His research activities are usually infused with novel ideas from inter-discipline approaches. He is actively collaborating with clinicians, doctors, pharmacists, and other health-care professionals on different research projects. He has conducted and published original research with potential for benefiting the pharmaceutical industry and millions of patients requiring invasive delivery of life-saving drugs.
He is currently involved in a project dealing with the stability of routinely compounded preparations at a local hospital. Stability data of routinely compounded parenteral is limited. Knowing extended stability of these preparations may improve operational efficiency, reduce waste, and reduce medication delivery delays. Based on this study, Dr. Kaushal’s lab was able to assign shelf-life that was far better than the presently available literature. The hospital was able to consolidate with the pharmacy and thus workload was removed from each facility thus shortening the turnaround time for the pharmacy to send medications to the patients. So far they have published six publications in various international peer-reviewed journals.
Dr. Kaushal is actively involved on various projects dealing with the use of a drug (D-Cycloserine) in various phobias and back pain. D-Cycloserine (DCS), an FDA approved antibiotic for tuberculosis, has been used in numerous clinical trials as an enhancer of exposure therapy for anxiety disorders. Based on the studies carried out in his lab, it was observed that the current capsule-based formulations of DCS need significant improvement in order to have a more effective delivery of this drug for pain and anxiety disorders. Currently, significant efforts are being put to develop transdermal and nasal formulations for this drug. He is also involved on various clinical studies of this drug. This studies are being conducted at Charleston Area Medical center, West Virginia University (Morgantown) and Northwestern University.
In a recently funded NSF, Dr. Kaushal’s lab will be using genomic approach for the improvement of capsaicin in peppers. This capsaicin will then be extracted to be formulated as a transdermal patch for the treatment of chronic low back pain. This project is being done in collaboration with the researchers from West Virginia State University.
Courses Taught
- PHAR 514 Pharmaceutics I (Calculations): 2 credits
- PHAR 522 Pharmaceutics II: 3 credits
- PHAR 610 Pharmacokinetic Principles: 3 credits
Publications (Peer-reviewed and in last five years only)
- Gagan Kaushal, Brian E. Sayre, and Terrence Prettyman, Stability of intravenous diltiazem hydrochloride infusions prepared in polyolefin bags. American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy (Accepted for publication in June 2012).
- Brian E. Sayre, Terrence Prettyman, and Gagan Kaushal, Extended Stability of Sodium Bicarbonate Infusions prepared in Polyolefin Bags. Hospital PharmacyVolume 47 (2012) Pages 538-543.
- Gagan Kaushal, Brian E. Sayre, and Terrence Prettyman, Stability-indicating HPLC method for the determination of the stability of extemporaneously prepared norepinephrine parenteral solutions. Journal of Liquid Chromatography & Related Technologies (In Press, epub available).
- Gagan Kaushal, Brian E. Sayre, and Terrence Prettyman, Stability-indicating HPLC method for the determination of the stability of oxytocin parenteral solutions prepared in polyolefin bags. Drug Discoveries & Therapeutics, Volume 6 (2012) Pages 49-54.
- Brian E. Sayre, Terrence Prettyman, and Gagan Kaushal, Extended Stability of Magnesium Sulfate Infusions Prepared in Polyolefin Bags. Hospital Pharmacy,Volume 47 (2012) Pages 289-292.
- Gagan Kaushal, Ronaldo Ramirez, Demelash Alambo, Wacharah Taupradist, Krunal Choksi, and Cristian Sirbu, Initial Characterization of D-Cycloserine for Future Formulation Development for Anxiety Disorders. Drug Discoveries & Therapeutics,Volume 5 (2011) Pages 253-260.
- Gagan Kaushal, Million Woldemariam, Brian E. Sayre, and Terrence Prettyman, Stability study of Famotidine in polypropylene syringes using a stability-indicating HPLC assay. Journal of Liquid Chromatography & Related Technologies, Volume 34 (2011) Pages 1283-1294.
- Gagan Kaushal, Krunal Choksi, Demelash Alambo, Wacharah Taupradist, and Cristian Sirbu, Characterization of D-Cycloserine Reformulation for Treatment of Anxiety Disorders: Challenges and Future Directions. Proceedings of the Star Symposium, Huntington, WV, http://www.wvresearch.org/starsymposium (2010)Pages 52-63.
- Gagan Kaushal and Jun Shao, The pharmacokinetics of β-lactamase after its intravenous administration to the rats using a fluorimetric HPLC method,Journal of Chromatographic Science, Volume 48 (2010) Pages 669-674.
- Gagan Kaushal and Jun Shao, Genetically engineered normal flora for oral polypeptide delivery: dose-absorption response, Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Volume 98 (2009) Pages 2573 - 2580.
- Gagan Kaushal and Jun Shao, Vaginal delivery of protein drugs by gene-transformed probiotic bacteria Lactococcus lactis, Drug Discoveries & Therapeutics, Volume 3(2009) Pages 228-233.
Funded Grants
- Principal Investigator on $100,000 grant entitled “Transdermal patch development of capsaicin using genomic approach for treatment of chronic low back pain.” This award is funded through an NSF Grant (EPS-1003907) awarded to the WVEPSCoR program which is managed by the Division of Science and Research at the WV Higher Education Policy Commission. Funding period: September 2012 to August 2014.
- Co-Investigator on $50,000 funded byClinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI) for the project entitled “Enhancing exposure for dental phobia using D-Cycloserine” for the period August 1, 2012 through July 31, 2013.
- Principal Investigator on $25,000 Faculty Research Development Grant Applications 2012-2013 by NIH WV-INBRE for project entitled “Formulation & Evaluation of Nasal Mucoadhesive D-Cycloserine Gels for Brain Delivery” (Grant number: NIH P20RR016477 and P20GM103434).
- Co-investigator on a $50,000 grant from CAMC Research Foundation with Dr. Cristian Sirbu at Charleston Area Medical Center and WVU Charleston Division on a project “D-Cycloserine as Enhancer of One-Session Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy for the Fear of Heights and Flying in Adults” (Funding period: 2007-2012).
- Principal Investigator on $15,000 Faculty Research Development Grant Applications 2011-2012 by NIH WV-INBRE for project entitled “D-Cycloserine Transdermal Formulation Development Based on an Enhanced Treatment for Acrophobia” (Grant number: NIH Grant 5 P20RR016477-11).
- Principal Investigator on $50,000 Faculty Research Development Grant Applications 2010-2011 by NIH WV-INBRE for project entitled “D-Cycloserine Transdermal Gel Formulation Development” (Grant number: NIH Grant 5P20RR016477-10).
- ARRA summer supplement grant for two undergraduate students (2010). Students were paid $10/hr for up to a 40 hr work week for the nine week summer period. An additional $2,200 in supply money per student was also provided. Total amount funded: $11,600 (Grant number: NIH Grant 5P20 RR016477-10).
- Principal investigator on a $25,000 grant from the CAMC Health Education and Research Institute, Inc. and Charleston Area Medical Center Foundation, Inc. of Charleston, WV to carry out the stability testing on parenteral formulations and formulation development of Cardioplegic solution. Funding period 2008-10.
- Principal investigator on a $16,000 grant awarded by 2009-2010 WV-INBRE Outreach Core for the project “Neuroendocrine Changes during D-Cycloserine Enhanced Treatment for Acrophobia” (Grant number: NIH Grant 5P20 RR016477-11).
Selected Abstracts and Presentations
- Tammy Yoxtheimer, Hayley DeMay, and Gagan Kaushal (2012). Investigation of polymeric gels for the transdermal delivery of D-Cycloserine for anxiety disorders. NISBRE meeting, Washington, DC.
- Tammy Yoxtheimer, Pardeep Gupta, and Gagan Kaushal (2012). Development and validation of various methods for the determination of enantiomeric purity of D-Cycloserine. AAPS 2012 Annual Meet, Chicago, IL.
- Tammy Yoxtheimer, Hayley DeMay, Robert Griffith, Cristian Sirbu, and Gagan Kaushal (2012). Investigation of three polymeric gels for the transdermal delivery of D-cycloserine for the treatment of anxiety disorders. AAPS 2012 Annual Meet, Chicago, IL.
- Aldo Almeida, Padma Nimmakayala, Nischit Aryal, Sumanth Manohar, Gopinath Vajja, Mark Chatfield , Gagan Kaushal, and Umesh Reddy (2012). Genomic Strategies to Mine Alleles That Control Capsaicin, Dihydrocapsaicin and Related Compounds. International Plant & Animal Genome XX, San Diego, CA.
- Hayley DeMay, Tammy Yoxtheimer, and Gagan Kaushal (2012). Investigation of three polymeric gels for the transdermal delivery of D-Cycloserine for anxiety disorders. Undergraduate Research Day at the Capitol, Charleston, WV.
- Daniel Mai and Gagan Kaushal (2012). The effect of solvents on D-Cycloserine transdermal formulation through rat skin. Undergraduate Research Day at the Capitol, Charleston, WV.
- Hayley DeMay and Gagan Kaushal (2011). Investigation of three polymeric gels for the transdermal delivery of D-Cycloserine for anxiety disorders. ASHP 2011 Midyear Clinical Meet, New Orleans, LA.
- Daniel Mai and Gagan Kaushal (2011). The effect of solvents on D-Cycloserine transdermal formulation through rat skin. AAPS 2011 Annual Meet, Washington DC.
- Gagan Kaushal, Demelash Alambo, Wacharah Taupradist, and Cristian Sirbu (2010). Characterization of D-Cycloserine Reformulation for Treatment of Anxiety Disorders: Challenges and Future Directions. NISBRE meeting, Bethesda, MD.
- Kwame Brempong and Gagan Kaushal (2009). Stability Testing and Formulation Development of Cardioplegic Solution. ASHP 2009 Midyear Clinical Meet, Las Vegas, NV.
- Million Woldemariam, Terrence Prettyman, Brian Sayre, and Gagan Kaushal (2009). Stability of famotidine injection in polypropylene syringes at three different Temperatures. ASHP 2009 Midyear Clinical Meet, Las Vegas, NV.
- Gagan Kaushal and Cristian Sirbu (2009). Investigation of D-Cycloserine solution stability using a novel HPLC method. AAPS 2009 Annual Meet, CA.
- Gagan Kaushal and Pardeep Gupta (2009). Study of the Effect of Competing Proteins on the Adsorption of (r-hGH) on Zwitterionic Polystyrene Nanaoparticles. AAPS 2009 Annual Meet, CA.
- Gagan Kaushal, Brian Sayre, Terrence Prettyman, and Chad Beegle (2009). Stability Testing of Parenteral Drugs: Collaboration between Tertiary Care Hospital and School of Pharmacy. AACP Annual Meet 2009 MA.
- Gagan Kaushal and Pardeep Gupta (2009). Adsorption of Recombinant Human Growth Hormone onto PLGA Particles: Effect of Competing Proteins and Surfactants. CRS Annual Meet 2009, Denmark.
- Gagan Kaushal and Pardeep Gupta (2008). Study of the Interaction of Human Growth Hormone (hGH) with Various Proteins in Solution. AAPS Annual Meet 2008 GA.
Other Professional Affiliations
- Reviewer: AACP New Pharmacy Faculty Research Awards Program (Pharmaceutics Section)
- Reviewer: Grant applications for Ohio Cancer Research Associates
- PEAQ Reviewer and Pathways Reviewer for the Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
- Early Career Reviewer (ECR) at the Center for Scientific Review (CSR), NIH
- Field Reviewer for Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE)
- Editorial board member on the Journal “Drug Discoveries & Therapeutics.”
- Consultant on the Editorial Board of Journal of Advanced Laboratory Research in Biology.
- Reviewed a book entitled “Peptide and Protein Delivery” for Elsevier Press.
- Reviewed Aulton's Pharmaceutics, 3rd Edition, The Design and Manufacture of Medicines, ISBN: 978-0-443-10108-3.
- Reviewer: AACP 2010-till date on New Pharmacy Faculty Research Awards Program (Pharmaceutics Section).
- Ad Hoc Reviewer: Pharmaceutical Research.
- Ad Hoc Reviewer: Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research.
- Ad Hoc Reviewer: Journal of Drug Targeting.
- Ad Hoc Reviewer: Journal of Liquid Chromatography & Related Technologies.
- Ad Hoc Reviewer: Pharmaceutical Development & Technology.
- Ad Hoc Reviewer: Indian Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences.
- Reviewer on the AAPS annual meets abstract review committee.
- Reviewer on the abstracts of ASHP Midyear Clinical Meetings.
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