Faculty & Staff Details
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Name: | Irene La-Beck, Pharm.D. |
| Position: | Assistant Professor, Clinical Research & Sciences Division, Abilene | |
| Email: | irene.la-beck@ttuhsc.edu | |
| Bio | Dr.La-Beck is an Assistant Professor in the Clinical Research and Sciences Division of the Department of Pharmacy Practice. She recently relocated to Abilene to become a pioneering member of the Center for Immunotherapeutic Research. She received her PharmD from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2008. She then completed a two-year oncology fellowship at UNC-Chapel Hill under the mentorship of Drs. William Zamboni and Christine Walko in 2010. |
Education:
2010 Oncology Fellowship: UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
2008 Doctor of Pharmacy, highest honors and highest distinction: UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
2002 Bachelor of Science, Physician Assistant, Magna Cum Laude: Daemen College, Amherst, New York
Licenses:
Pharmacist, North Carolina- Active
Pharmacist, Texas- Pending
Physician Assistant, New York- 2002 to 2004
Honors & Awards:
April 2009 Rho Chi Clinical Research Scholarship
May 2008 Outstanding Pharmacy Student Award
May 2008 Clinical Scholar, UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy
Aug 2007 Fred and Ida Lockwood Scholarship, Pharmacy Foundation of North Carolina
July 2007 American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy/Wal-Mart Conference Scholarship
Aug 2006 J. Lee and Helen M. Yingling Scholarship, Pharmacy Foundation of North Carolina
April 2006 Rho Chi Academic Honor Society in Pharmacy (Inducted April 21, 2006)
Aug 2005 Cornwell Scholar, UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy
Professional Organizations:
Dr. La-Beck is a member of the American Society of Clinical Oncology and American Association of Cancer Research.
Research Interests:
Nanoparticles are a new class of therapeutics which offer the potential for increased drug delivery to tumors and decreased exposure in normal tissues. However, the successful bench-to-bedside development of a nanoparticle anticancer agent needs to overcome challenges such as complex pharmacokinetics which may involve the immune system and high interpatient variability in pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic disposition. Thus, the focus of Dr. La-Beck’s research is in understanding the interaction between nanoparticles and the immune system, and in identifying approaches to individualizing therapy with nanoparticle anticancer agents. As part of her research, she has developed and validated novel bioanalytical assays for quantifying nanoparticle associated and released drug in plasma. In addition, she is collaborating with researchers at UNC-Chapel Hill in a pilot clinical trial evaluating in vivo and ex vivo phenotypic probes of the reticuloendothelial system as a method for individualizing nanoparticle therapy in cancer patients. The ultimate goal of Dr. La-Beck’s research is to not only advance scientific knowledge but more importantly, to improve the quality of care and clinical outcomes of cancer patients.
Publications:
Peer Reviewed Publications:
Dumond JB, Vourvahis M, Rezk NL, Patterson KB, Tien H, White N, Jennings SH, Choi SO, Li J, Wagner MJ, La-Beck NM, Drulak M, Sabo JP, Castles MA, MacGregor TR, Kashuba ADM. A phenotype-genotype approach to predicting CYP450 and P-glycoprotein drug interactions with the mixed inhibitor/inducer tipranavir/ritonavir. Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics 2010;87(6):735-42.
La-Beck NM, Zamboni BA, Gabizon A, Sidone BJ, Edwards RP, Tzemach D, Schmeeda H, Sapir R, Amantea M, Gehrig PA, Zamboni WC. Factors affecting the pharmacokinetics of pegylated liposomal doxorubicin in patients. (submitted to Clinical Cancer Research)
La-Beck NM, Walko CM, Scoggins L, Dees EC, Orlowski RZ, Wu H, Amantea M, Zamboni WC. Evaluating the effects of bortezomib on the pharmacokientics of pegylated liposomal doxorubicin. (In progress)
Walko CM, Aubert RE, La-Beck NM, Hawk G, Herrera V, Kourlas H, Epstein RS, McLeod HL. Pharmacoepidemiology of clinically-relevant hypothyroidism and hypertension from sunitinib and sorafenib. (manuscript in progress, poster presented at American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting 2010, Abstract# 9149)
La-Beck NM, Caron WP, McLeod H, Infante R, Burris HA, Jones SF, Zamboni WC. Differences in pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of nanoparticle formulations of irinotecan and SN38. (In progress)
Peer Reviewed Abstracts & Posters:
La-Beck NM, Wu H, Infante JR, Jones SF, Burris HA, Keedy V, Kodaira H, Ikeda S, Ramanathan RK, Zamboni WC. The evaluation of gender on the pharmacokinetics (PK) of pegylated liposomal anticancer agents. (abstract). Abstract #e13003, American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting 2010.
Caron WP, La-Beck NM, Fong AM, Liu P, Hanna SK, Ngo TL, Zamboni BA, Gehrig PA, Tarrant T, Zamboni WC. Evaluation of monocyte and granulocyte function with and without ex vivo pegylated liposomal doxorubicin (PLD) exposure in the blood of healthy volunteers. (poster presentation). Abstract #3697, American Association of Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2010.
Song G, Wu H, La-Beck NM, Zamboni BA, Strychor S, Santory MM, Deither SR, Zamboni WC. Effect of gender on pharmacokinetic disposition of pegylated liposomal CKD-602 (S-CKD602) and Optisomal topotecan (TLI) in rats. (poster presentation). Abstract #3700, American Association of Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2010.
La-Beck NM, Zamboni BA, Tzemach D, Schmeeda H, Sapir R, Gabizon A, Zamboni WC. Evaluation of the relationship between patient factors and the reduction in clearance of pegylated liposomal doxorubicin. (poster presentation) Abstract #2548, American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting 2009.
Zamboni WC, Schorzman DA, Kindig JP, La-Beck NM, Di J, Hubby B, Kaimal V, Weiser WE. Tumor and tissue disposition of folic acid-targeted and non-targeted PRINT nanoparticles of polyethylene glycol and gadolinium in mice bearing NCI-H125 human lung adenosquamous carcinoma xenografts. (poster presentation). Abstract #3670, American Association of Cancer Research 100th Annual Meeting 2009.
Invited Chapters & Reviews:
La-Beck NM and Zamboni WC. Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of nanoparticle anticancer agents. National Cancer Institute Alliance for Nanotechnology in Cancer Bulletin 2009;3(1):3-6.
La-Beck NM, Walsh MD, Zamboni WC. Ovarian Cancer. In: Schwinghammer TL and Koehler JM, editors. Pharmacotherapy Casebook: A Patient-Focused Approach, Eighth Edition. McGraw-Hill Medical. In press.
Walko CM, La-Beck NM, Walsh MD. Renal Cell Carcinoma. In: DiPiro J, Talbert R, Hayes P, Matzke G, Posey L, editors. Pharmacotherapy: A Pathophysiologic Approach, Eighth Edition. Appleton & Lange. In press.