Experienced team with world class expertise

Rajesh Khanna, PhD

Chief Scientific Officer

Dr. Rajesh Khanna, Professor of Pharmacology at the University of Arizona College of Medicine, is an expert in ion channel biology and voltage-gated calcium and sodium channels regulated by novel protein interaction. With almost 100 publications, Dr. Khanna’s ground-breaking research focuses on disrupting pathological protein-protein interactions with biologics and small molecules, testing their activity, examining protein interaction signatures, and regulating protein networks to modulate ion channel activity in neurodegenerative diseases (chronic pain, migraine, and neurofibromatosis).

Most recently Dr. Khanna’s lab has leveraged these pain network data discoveries to understand the mechanism of sodium and calcium channel trafficking by the CRMP2/NaV1.7 and CRMP2/CaV2.2 complex, the basis for the patented Regulonix technology platforms.

Dr. Khanna earned his PhD in Physiology from the University of Toronto, where he also obtained his MS in Pharmacology and a BS in Toxicology. Prior to joining the University of Arizona, he conducted post-doctoral fellowships at UCLA in Physiology and Molecular Biology, and at the Toronto Western Research Institute in Cellular and Molecular Biology. Additionally, he has received grant support from the NIH (NINDS, NIDA, NCI), the US Department of Defense, and the Children’s Tumor Foundation for his laboratory’s work, is a member of the Society of Neuroscience, American Society for Pain and the American Society for Neurochemistry and is a grant reviewer for several leading organizations worldwide.

Frank Porreca, PhD

Professor of Neuroscience, Pharmacology, Cancer Biology and Anesthesiology, University of Arizona; Senior Consultant in the Department of Collaborative Research at Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale, Arizona

Dr. Porreca has authored approximately 500 peer-reviewed articles addressing mechanisms of opioids and pain, is one of the 10 most cited pharmacologists in the world by the American Society of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics and is a “Highly Cited” investigator by PubMed. Additionally, he has received prestigious awards from pain organizations such as the International Association for the Study of Pain, the British Pain Society, and the American Pain Society. Dr. Porreca sits on scientific advisory boards of more than 10 biotechnology companies, and his current research interest is in the field of pain with a focus in understanding circuits and mechanisms promoting chronic pain.

Amol Patwardhan, MD, PhD

Assistant Professor, Department of Anesthesiology and Pharmacology, College of Medicine, Co-Director, Comprehensive Pain Management, University of Arizona

Dr. Patwardhan has over 15 years’ experience in pain pharmacology, both preclinical and clinical, and has published more than 30 peer reviewed papers with studies funded by NIH and the Foundation for Anesthesia Education and Research. Dr. Patwardhan regularly serves as a translational pain expert on panels formed by the NIH (NINDS) and the Department of Defense (DoD) and serves as a principal investigator on multiple industry sponsored clinical trials in pain patients. He is a founder of a pharmaceutical startup, holds two patents, and serves on scientific advisory board of several pharmaceutical companies.

Kathleen Rodgers, PhD, DABT

Associate Director, Translational Neuroscience, Professor, Pharmacology, University of Arizona

Dr. Rodgers is an internationally recognized authority on therapeutics development, the application of bench discoveries to clinical problems, and safety assessment prior to entrance of drugs into clinical development. She has expertise in preclinical discovery and development, formulation, pharmacology, developing and implementing toxicology plans, GMP manufacturing of complex formulations, writing of regulatory documents, and interacting with regulatory attorneys and the FDA. Dr. Rodgers has been a board-certified toxicologist for 25 years and her research has led to over 15 clinical trials in several disease states and the founding of three startup companies, helping to rapidly translate scientific discoveries into health outcome improvements.

Gerald Zamponi, PhD

Professor and Senior Associate Dean for research at the Cumming School of Medicine, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Calgary

Dr. Zamponi is an active University researcher, lecturer and student advisor as well as a noted speaker at major neuroscience, pharmacology and cell biology scientific symposia and educational events worldwide. With nearly three decades of experience specializing in voltage gated calcium channels, how they are compromised in various neurological disorders and how they can be targeted to develop new pain therapeutics, Dr. Zamponi is a recognized expert in the pain field. He has earned nearly three dozen global awards, is a member on numerous provincial, national and international committees, and has been issued 11 US and 46 International Patents. Additionally, Dr. Zamponi has served on numerous pharmaceutical and biotech company scientific advisory boards, founded a pharmaceutical startup, and his over 600 peer-reviewed publications, abstracts and presentations have been cited over 11,000 times.