Rick G. Schnellmann, Ph.D.
	Title: Professor and Chair Department: Pharmaceutical Sciences Office: QF305B PO Box: 250140 Office Phone: 843-792-3754 Lab: QE305A-E, QE302 Lab Phone: 843-792-1803 Research Area: Cell Injury, Death, and Regeneration, Toxicology, Cancer Biology, Drug Discovery E-mail: schnell@musc.edu

Description of Research Program
The research foci of my laboratory are directed towards understanding the signaling pathways of cell injury, death (apoptosis and necrosis) in epithelial and cancer cells, and regeneration of epithelial cells following injury.  This research is particularly important since stroke, trauma, and heart and kidney failure result from cell injury and death.  In turn, the ability of injured cells to repair and regenerate is key for the return of brain, heart and kidney function.  In contrast, cancer cells exhibit alterations in cell death pathways that allow them to survive and multiply.  Our goal is to develop selective therapeutic agents that prevent cell death and promote cell repair in epithelial cells and stimulate cell death in cancer cells.

Selected Publications
Nony, P.A. and Schnellmann, R.G.:  Mechanisms of renal cell repair and regeneration after acute renal failure.  J Pharmacol Exptl Ther  304:905-912, 2003.

Liu, X and Schnellmann, R.G.:  Calpain mediates progressive plasma membrane permeability and proteolysis of cytoskeleton-associated paxillin, talin and vinculin during renal cell death.  J Pharmacol Exptl Ther 304:63-70, 2003.

Cummings, B.S., McHowat, J. and Schnellmann, R.G.: Role of an endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-independent phospholipase A2 in oxidant-induced renal cell death.  Am J Physiol 283:F492-F498, 2002.

Liu, X., Harriman, J.F., and Schnellmann, R.G.:  Cytoprotective properties of novel non-peptide calpain inhibitors in renal cells. J. Pharmacol. Exptl. Ther. 302:88-94, 2002.

Harriman, J.F., Liu, X., Aleo, M.D., Machaca, K., and Schnellmann, R.G.:  Endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ signaling and calpains mediate renal cell death.  Cell Death and Differentiation.  9:734-741, 2002.

Cummings, B.S. and Schnellmann, R.G.: Cisplatin-induced renal cell apoptosis:  caspase 3-dependent and -independent pathways.  J. Pharmacol. Exptl. Ther. 302:8-17, 2002.

Nony, P.A., Nowak, G., and Schnellmann, R.G.: Collagen IV promotes the repair of renal cell function following toxicant injury.  Am. J. Physiol. 281:F443-F453, 2001.