Dr. Chu worked with our Alzheimer's Research program from 1996-2002. She received independent research grants from the California Dept of Health and Alzheimer's Assocation to support her research training. Her focus was on examining role of inflammatory cells, and inflammatory drugs in removal of beta-amyloid, and assessing effects of drugs on beta-amyloid clearance and deposition. She also worked on the role of lysosomal dysfunction in relation to memory loss.     She was seminal in improving assays including developing sandwich ELISAs procedures for Abeta measurement              

SUMMARY OF EXPERIENCE

A decade of pharmaceutical industry experience in the development of biologics drugs.  In-depth knowledge of different therapeutics and diseases with an advanced degree in pharmacology.  Experience in lecturing neuropharmacology at medical school and authoring protocols/reports to support IND/FDA submission.  Strong analytical and trouble-shooting skills.

EDUCATION

University of California, Los Angeles       Ph.D. in Pharmacology          

University of California, Riverside                        B.S. in Biochemistry, magna cum laude                         

                                                                          

TEACHING EXPERIENCE

Clinical Lecturer of Neuropharmacology                                                 2013

UCR/UCLA Program in Biomedical Sciences, UCR School of Medicine                                                                                              

INDUSTRIAL EXPERIENCE

Senior Scientist                                                                                           2005-current

Biopharmaceuticals, Allergan Pharmaceuticals

Leader of a team to develop immunoassays for the active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) and impurities in a commercial product and several biologics candidates in the pipeline.  Oversees the routine analytical support for process development and toxicology studies.

Developed an identification method for a biologic drug and authored the procedures and reports for submission to the FDA.  Oversaw the validation of the identification method which was subsequently approved for use by the FDA.

Authored multiple method operating procedures (SOPs), method development reports, research protocols/reports and validation protocols/reports to support IND submissions to the FDA.

QC experience of Phase I clinical study reports (CSRs) in the Medical Writing department

Leader of a team to characterize biopharmaceuticals in development.  The role included leading of team meetings, facilitation of intra-team communication, coordination of in-house studies and projects with CROs, and allocation of resource to meet multiple timelines.

Chaperoned method transfer to a European manufacturing site and contract research organizations (CROs).

Prepares and presents PowerPoint summary on research progress in weekly meetings.

Familiar with ICH and USP guidelines  

 

Scientist                                                                                                        2002-2004

Biopharmaceutical Research and Development, Allergan Pharmaceuticals  

Directed studies to address concerns of FDA on the manufacturing process of a commercial product and completed the study reports.

• Managed projects from multiple CROs on extractable study and monoclonal antibody production.

 

ACADEMIC EXPERIENCE

Post-doctoral Researcher VIII                                                                     2000-2002

Post-doctoral Researcher VI                                                                        1999-2000

Post-doctoral Researcher II                                                                         1996-1998

Department of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles

 

• Served as the principal investigator or co-investigator of projects that utilized in vivo and in vitro models to study the degradation of beta-amyloid peptide in Alzheimer’s disease (AD).
• Developed and optimized immunoassays (ELISAs, Western blots) for quantitation of beta-amyloid and synaptic markers in different models for AD.
• Coordinated multiple studies including the effects of different drugs (e.g. NSAIDs) or diet supplements (anti-oxidants) in mouse and rat models for AD.   
• Wrote research grant proposals, manuscripts and progress reports.

 

Graduate Student Researcher                                                                    1989-1995

Thesis: Neurochemical effects of 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, also known as Ecstasy) and its metabolites in animals and cell culture models.

• Developed multiple HPLC assays to monitor drug metabolites of MDMA and levels of various neurotransmitters (serotonin and dopamine) in rats and neuronal cell lines after exposure to MDMA.
• Performed in vivo metabolism studies.
• Experience in cell culture, cytotoxicity assays and membrane transporter uptake assays.

SELECTED AWARDS AND GRANTS

Allergan Award for Excellence (Level I)                                                           2012
Allergan Award for Excellence (Level II)                                                          2011
Allergan Award for Excellence (Level II)                                                          2004

Research Pilot Grant from Alzheimer’s Association, Principal Investigator   1999-2001

Research Grant from California Department of Health Services,
Co-Investigator                                                                                                1999-2001
Kugel Fellowship - University of California, Los Angeles                              1989-1990

 

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS

 1. Harris-White, M.E., Chu, T., Miller, S.A., Simmons, M., Nash, D., Teter, B., Cole, G.M. and Frautschy, S.A.  (2001) Estrogen (E2) and Glucocorticoid (Gc) Effects on microglia and Aß Clearance In vitro and In vivo. Neurochemistry International. 39:435- 438.

2. Lim, G.P., Yang, F., Chu, T., Chen, P., Beech, W., Teter, B., Tran, T., Ubeda, O., Ashe, K.H., Frautschy, S.A. and Cole, G.M.  (2000)  Ibuprofen suppresses inflammation and plaque pathology in a mouse model for Alzheimer’s disease.  J. Neurosci.  20: 5709-5714.

3. Mega, M.S.,  Chu, T., Mazziotta, J.C., Trivedi, K.H., Frautschy, S.A., Cole, G.M. and Toga, A.W.  (1999)  Mapping biochemistry to metabolism: FDG-PET and amyloid burden in Alzheimer's disease. Neuroreport  10: 2911-2917.

4. Cho, A.K. and Chu, T.  (1999)  Ice: Methamphetamine hydrochloride.  In Elsevier’s Encyclopedia of Neuroscience, G, Adelman and B.H. Smith (eds.), 2nd edition, Academic Press, New York, pp. 935-936.

5. Chu, T.,  Tran, T., Yang, F., Beech, W., Cole, G.M. and Frautschy, S.A. (1998)  Effect of chloroquine and leupeptin on intracellular accumulation of amyloid-beta (Aß)1-42 peptide in a murine N9 microglial cell line.   FEBS Lett.  436: 439-444.

6. Harris-White, M.E., Chu, T., Sigel, J.J., Flanders, K.C. and Frautschy, S.A. (1998)  Effects of transforming growth factor-b (isoforms 1-3) on amyloid-b deposition , inflammation and cell targeting in organotypic hippocampal slice cultures.  J. Neurosci. 18: 10366-10374.
 
7. Chu, T., Kumagai, Y., DiStefano, E.W. and Cho, A.K.  (1996).  The disposition of MDMA and three metabolites in the brains of different rat strains and their possible roles in acute 5HT depletion.  Biochem. Pharmacol.  51: 789-796.