The Grand Challenge for Integrative and Regenerative Pharmacology

Abstract

More robust identification of putative molecular targets for the development of novel therapeutics is a logical outcome of the post-genomic age of molecular medicine. Undoubtedly the concept of personalized medicine is becoming a reality (Hamburg and Collins, 2010), and in this scenario, the pharmacological sciences are ideally positioned to have a huge impact on the continued development of this field; specifically as it relates to the advent of mechanism-based, personalized therapeutics. In fact, the incredible rate of technology development and the parallel increase in our capacity to harness and apply the inordinate amount of information generated in the wake of these advancements creates tremendous challenges for our field, but also, enormous translational research opportunities. The purpose of this article is to briefly review the Grand Challenge for Integrative and Regenerative Pharmacology, and to highlight how meeting the challenge will ensure our active participation in this exciting, and quite frankly unprecedented era of translational scientific endeavor. The Grand Challenge is codified below in general terms, but without question it will require a multi/interdisciplinary collaborative effort, on a global basis, to be successful. Furthermore, it is clear that each of the three aspects of this Grand Challenge could themselves be the subject of an entire review article. Herein we provide only a general conceptual framework to familiarize the interested reader with the overall topic. The Grand Challenge for Integrative and Regenerative Pharmacology is three-fold: 1. To utilize Integrative Pharmacology (studies ranging from in vivo whole animal pharmacology/toxicology to complex in vitro and ex vivo systems) to obtain improved insight into relevant mechanisms of end organ/tissue dysfunction (i.e., target validation) as well as mechanisms of tissue regeneration, repair, and replacement. 2. To utilize cutting edge drug delivery technologies to improve localized delivery of therapeutic drug concentrations/effects, and furthermore, enhance specificity with respect to the cellular and subcellular targets/compartments of interest. 3. To leverage both 1 and 2 to create a new generation of therapies for improved symptomatic treatment of disease (i.e., fewer side/off-target effects due to improved MOA, enhanced localization, and cellular/subcellular specificity), and moreover, development of transformational curative therapies through the establishment of the principles of regenerative pharmacology.