Professor
Pharmaceutical Sciences and Health Outcomes - Pharmacy
Phone: 903.565.6578
Email: AHamouda@uttyler.edu
Building: WTB 365
Department: Pharmacy
Ayman Hamouda
Biography
Experience:
Texas A&M Health Sciences Center
Assistant Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2013-2018
Assistant Professor of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, 2014-2018
Harvard Medical School,
Research Fellow in Neurobiology, 2007-2009
Instructor in Neurobiology, 2009-2013
Texas Tech University Health Science Center,
PhD, Pharmacology and Neuroscience, 2007
Graduate Student Research Assistant, 2004-2007
College of Pharmacy, Al-Azhar University, Palestine,
BPharm, 1998
Instructor, 1998-2002
Research and Teaching Interests
- Molecular and Behavioral Pharmacology
- Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience
- Principles of drug actions
- Pharmacology of drugs of abuse
- Drug development
- Membrane Biophysics
The research in Hamouda’s laboratory at the Fisch College of Pharmacy (FCOP)-University of Texas at Tyler studies the structure, functions and pharmacology of pentameric ligand-gated ion channels especially the nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs). Brain nAChRs are important for neuronal survival and for maintenance of cognitive performance and learning during aging and implicated in the pathophysiology of many cognitive and neurodegenerative disorders including Alzheimer’s & Parkinson’s diseases. In addition, neuronal nAChRs play essential roles in the pathophysiology of neuropathic and inflammatory pains and modulation of nAChRs functions produces antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory effects. Furthermore, nAChRs mediate the action of nicotine, the major addictive component of tobacco smoke, and play a major role in the development as well as the treatment of nicotine addiction (cigarette smoking).
Hamouda’s research at the FCOPaims to accelerate the discovery and development of novel therapeutics targeting nAChRs. His current research focuses on nAChR positive allosteric modulators (PAMs) as a novel therapeutic class that selectively target a nAChR subpopulation. He studies the pharmacology of nAChR PAMs in vitro using biophysical and electrophysiology as well as in vivo using animal models for nicotine addiction, Alzheimer’s Disease, and inflammatory pain.
The discovery of selective nAChR PAMs would be significant because there is a critical need for novel strategies to develop potent analgesics that lack the high abuse liability associated with clinically used opioid analgesics. As well as, there is a critical need to develop drugs that enhance cognitive ability in patients with neuropsychiatric disorders and to develop an effective smoking cessation therapy.
Recent Publications (*=corresponding Author).
Deba F., Ali H.I., Tairu A., Ramos K., Ali J., Hamouda A. K.* (2018) LY2087101 and dFBr share transmembrane binding sites in the (α4)3(β2)2 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor. Scientific Reports 8: 1249.
Hamouda A. K.*, Jackson A., Bagdas D., Damaj M. I. (2018) Reversal of Nicotine Withdrawal Signs through Positive Allosteric Modulation of α4β2 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors in mice. Nicotine & Tobacco Research 20: 903-907.
Wang Z.J.#, Deba F. #, Mohamed T. S., Chiara D.C., Ramos K., Hamouda A. K.* (2017) Unraveling amino acid residues critical for allosteric potentiation of (α4)3(β2)2-type nicotinic acetylcholine receptor responses. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 292: 9988-10001.
Recommended in F1000: https://f1000.com/prime/727558690
Gazova Z., Soukup O., Sepsova V., Siposova K., Drtinova L., Jost P., Spilovska K., Korabecny J., Nepovimova E., Fedunova D., Horak M., Kaniakova M., Wang Z.J., Hamouda A. K., Kuca K. (2017) Multi-target-directed therapeutic potential of 7-methoxytacrine-adamantylamine heterodimers in the Alzheimer's disease treatment. BBA Molecular Basis of Disease 1863: 607-619.
Hamouda A.K.*, Deba F., Wang Z.J. and Cohen J. B. (2016) Photolabeling a Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor with an (α4)3(β2)2 nAChR-selective Positive Allosteric Modulator. Molecular Pharmacology 89: 575-584.
Current Funding
- 9/2018 - 7/2019: Presidential Interdisciplinary Grant, University of Texas at Tyler (Role, PI).
- 4/2018 - 3/2021: Fish College of Pharmacy-University of Texas at Tyler Faculty Research Fund (Role, PI).
- 4/2018 - 3/2021: University of Texas System Rising STARs Award (Role, PI).
- 7/2015 - 6/2019: National Institute of Health-1R15NS093590-01 and 7R15NS093590-02 (Role, PI).
Recognition
- Fulbright Foreign Student Scholarship, 2003-2004
- Society for Neuroscience Graduate Student Travel Award, 2006
- Chancellor’s Scholarship, Texas Tech University, 2006
- Alexander D. Kenny Outstanding Graduate Student Award, TTUHSC, 2007
- Convocation speaker, Graduate School of Biomedical Science, TTUHSC, 2007
- Invited speaker, XIV International Symposium on Cholinergic Mechanisms, Hangzhou, China; International Brain Research Organization (IBRO)- Neuroscience Conference, Doha, Qatar; Research Initiative for Scientific Enhancement (RISE) program, University of Puerto Rico; Opioid & Pain Management Conference, Coastal Bend Health Education, Texas.
- Grant reviewer, Early Career Reviewer (ECR) program; Center for Scientific Review (CSR), National Institutes of Health; American Heart Association (AHA) Study Section member: Cell Transport Basic Science 2 Committee; New Investigator Award (NIA)-American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP); University Research Board Fund-the American University of Beirut.
- Journal reviewer, Review editor of Systems Biology section of Frontiers in Neuroscience and Frontiers in Physiology. Ad hoc reviewer for Journal of Biological Chemistry, Biochemistry, the Biophysical Journal, Journal of Neuroscience Research, Scientific Report, PLOS One, Neurochemical Research…