Christopher K. Surratt
Division Head of Pharmaceutical Sciences
Associate Professor of Pharmacology

411 Mellon Hall
T 412.396.5007
F 412.396.4660
E surratt@duq.edu

B.A. (Chemistry)-- University of Virginia
Ph.D. (Chemistry)-- University of Virginia
Postdoctoral Fellow, University of California, Berkeley
Senior Staff Fellow, National Institute on Drug Abuse, NIH
Assistant Professor, Albert Einstein College of Medicine

• PHBM 423: Rheumatology/GI Disorders
  
• PHBM 429: Pharmacology, Medicinal Chemistry and
  CNS Disorders I (Coursemaster)
• PHSL 477W: Service Learning Experience in Pharmacy
  
• GPHS 513: Principles of Drug Action, Design and Delivery
  
• GPHS 570: Mechanisms of Drug Action
  
• GPHS 572: Methods of Evaluation of Drug Action and Toxicity
  

Right click on the link to download the file for the:
2009 NBDOA High School PowerPoint Presentation
Right click on the link to download the file for the:
2009 NBDOA Middle School PowerPoint Presentation

• R01DA026530 National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) NIH Grant
  Principal Investigator: C. K. Surratt, Ph.D.
  Co-investigators: J. D. Madura, Ph.D. and D. J. Lapinsky, Ph.D.
  “Dopamine Transporter Structure and Function”
  $627,250
  7/1/09 – 6/30/11
  
• R01DA027806 NIDA NIH/NSF Grant
  Principal Investigator: J. D. Madura, Ph.D.
  Co-investigators: C. K. Surratt, Ph.D. and D. J. Lapinsky, Ph.D.
  “CRCNS: Computational and Experimental Study of Dopamine and Serotonin Transporters”
  $1,545,450
  7/1/09 – 6/30/14
• R03DA027081 NIDA NIH Grant
  Principal Investigator: D. J. Lapinsky, Ph.D.
  Co-investigators: C. K. Surratt, Ph.D. and J. D. Madura, Ph.D.
  “Non-Tropane Irreversible Dopamine Transporter Ligands”
  $364,182
  7/1/09 – 6/30/11

• 2008 – 2009 Apple Polishing Award for excellence in teaching and service, Duquesne University Greek Life
• 2008 American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy Academic Leadership Fellow (30 awards nationwide)
• 2006 Presidential Award for Excellence in Teaching, Duquesne University
• 2005 - 2006 Creative Teaching Award, Duquesne University
• 2004 - 2005 Excellence in Teaching Award, Mylan School of Pharmacy, Duquesne University
• 2004 - 2005 Excellence in Teaching Award, Division of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Duquesne University
• 2004 - 2005 Assessment of Student Learning Award, Division of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Duquesne University
• 2004 - 2005 Excellence in Service Award, Division of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Duquesne University
• 2003 - 2004 Excellence in Research Award, Division of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Duquesne University
• 2003 American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy “Teacher of the Year” (124 professors awarded nationwide)
• 2002 - 2003 Excellence in Teaching Award, Division of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Duquesne University
• 1997 NIH Fellows Award for Research Excellence
  
  

• Structure-function studies on the plasma membrane monoamine (dopamine, norepinephrine and serotonin) transporter (MAT) proteins are the primary research focus. Computer molecular modeling-guided site-directed mutagenesis of transporter amino acid residues and molecular pharmacology of the obtained mutant transporters are employed in elucidating binding sites for abused psychostimulants (e.g., cocaine, amphetamine), antidepressants and other CNS drugs. The molecular models are also used in virtual screening of small molecule structural libraries in search of novel MAT ligands. Such ligands are then tested as candidate “lead compound” therapeutics for a variety of CNS disorders. Our molecular pharmacology lab works closely with computational chemists, medicinal chemists, biophysical chemists and behavioral neuropharmacologists at Duquesne University, University of Pittsburgh, NIH and several other research institutes.
  
  

Publications

• Lapinsky, D.J., Aggarwal, S., Huang, Y., Surratt, C.K., Lever, J.R., Foster, J.D. and Vaughan, R.A. (2009). A novel photoaffinity ligand for the dopamine transporter based on pyrovalerone. Bioorg. Med. Chem., in press.
• Gedeon, P., Indarte, M., Surratt, C.K. and Madura, J.D. (2009). Molecular dynamics of leucine and dopamine transporter proteins in a simulated cell membrane lipid bilayer. Proteins Str. Funct. Bioinformat., in press.
• Indarte, M., Madura, J.D. and Surratt, C.K. (2008). Dopamine transporter comparative molecular modeling and binding site prediction using the LeuTAa leucine transporter as a template. Proteins Str. Funct. Bioinformat. 70, 1033-46. (Published online 9/10/07.)
• Surratt, C.K. and Desselle, S.P. (2007). Pharmacy students’ perception of a teaching evaluation process. Am. J. Pharm. Educ., 71, Article 06 (online).
• Ukairo, O.T., Ramanujapuram, S. and Surratt, C.K. (2007). Fluctuation of the dopamine uptake inhibition potency of cocaine, but not amphetamine, in mammalian cells expressing the dopamine transporter. Brain Res., 1131, 68-76.
• Surratt, C.K., Witt-Enderby, P.A., Johnson, D.A., Anderson, C.A., Bricker, J.D., Davis, V.L., Firestine, S.M. and Meng, W.S. (2006). Development of a neuroscience oriented "methods" course for graduate students of pharmacology and toxicology. Cell Biol. Educ. 5, 188-96.
• Surratt, C.K. (2006). Creation of a graduate oral/written communication skills course. Am. J. Pharm. Educ., 70(1):Article 05, 1-8
• Surratt, C.K., Ukairo, O.T. and Ramanujapuram, S. (2005). Recognition of psychostimulants, antidepressants and other inhibitors of synaptic neurotransmitter uptake by the plasma membrane monoamine transporters. Am. Assoc. Pharmaceu. Sci. J. 7:Article 74, E739-51.
• Surratt, C.K., Drennen, J.K. III and Bricker, J.D. (2005). The "research track" concentration, a new PharmD student elective option. Am. J. Pharm. Educ., 69(5):Article 90, 1-6.
• Desselle, S.P., Surratt, C.K., Astle, J., White, L.A., Yacovelli, L., Barnhisel, G., Jewell, M., Shippen, H. and Holmes, E.R. (2005). Evolution of a required service-learning course: lessons learned and plans for the future. J. Pharm. Teach, 12:23-40.
• Ukairo, O.T., Bondi, C.D., Newman, A.H., Kulkarni, S.S., Kozikowski, A.P., Pan, S. and Surratt, C.K. (2005). Recognition of benztropine by the dopamine transporter (DAT) differs from that of the classic dopamine uptake inhibitors cocaine, methylphenidate and mazindol as a function of a DAT transmembrane 1 aspartic acid residue. J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther., 314:575-83.
• Surratt, C.K. and Adams, W.R. (2005). G protein-coupled receptor structural motifs and their application to opioid receptor activation. Curr. Top. Med. Chem. 5:315-24.
• Surratt, C.K. and Desselle, S.P. (2004). "The Neuroscience Behind Drugs of Abuse", a PharmD service-learning project. Am. J. Pharm. Educ. 68(4):Article 99, 1-8.
• Surratt, C.K. (2004). Increasing the PharmD student's interest in a required neuropharmacology course. Am. J. Pharm. Educ. 68(2):Article 33, 1-5.
• Wang, W., Sonders, M.S., Ukairo, O., Scott, H., Kloetzel, M.N. and Surratt, C.K. (2003). Dissociation of cocaine high affinity binding and dopamine uptake inhibition at the dopamine transporter. Mol. Pharmacol. 64:430-9.
• Spivak, C.E., Beglan, C.L., Zollner, C. and Surratt, C.K. (2003). ß-Funaltrexamine, a gauge for the recognition site of wild-type and mutant H297Q mu opioid receptors. Synapse 49:55-60.
• Zöllner, C., Johnson, P.S., Wang, J.B., Roy Jr., A.J., Layton, K.M., Wu, J.M. and Surratt, C.K. (2000). Control of mu opioid receptor expression by modification of cDNA 5'- and 3'-noncoding regions. Brain Res. Mol. Brain Res. 79(1-2):159-62.
• Wang, D., Surratt, C.K. and Sadee, W. (2000). Calmodulin regulation of basal and agonist-stimulated G protein coupling by the mu opioid receptor in morphine-pretreated cells. J. Neurochem. 75(2):763-71.
• Deng, H.B., Yu, Y., Pak, Y., O'Dowd, B.F., George, S.R., Surratt, C.K., Uhl, G.R. and Wang, J.B. (2000). Role for the C-terminus in agonist-induced mu opioid receptor phosphorylation and desensitization. Biochemistry 39(18):5492-9.
• Zhang, P., Johnson, P.S., Zöllner, C., Wang, W., Wang, Z., Montes, A.E., Seidleck, B.K., Blaschak, C.J. and Surratt, C.K. (1999). Mutation of human mu opioid receptor extracellular "disulfide cysteine residues alters ligand binding but does not prevent receptor targeting to the cell plasma membrane. Brain Res. Mol. Brain Res. 72(2):195-204.
• Makman, M.H., Dobrenis, K. and Surratt, C.K. (1998). Properties of mu-3 opiate alkaloid receptors in macrophages, astrocytes, and HL-60 human promyelocytic leukemia cells. Adv. Exp. Med. Biol. 437:137-48.
• Spivak, C.E., Beglan, C.L., Seidleck, B.K., Hirshbein, L.D., Blaschak, C.J., Uhl, G.R. and Surratt, C.K. (1997). Naloxone activation of mu opioid receptors mutated at a histidine residue lining the opioid binding cavity. Mol. Pharmacol. 52(6):983-92.
• Wang, J.B. and Surratt, C.K. (1997). Molecular cloning and characterization of receptors for drugs of abuse. In: Drug Addiction and its Treatment: Nexus of Neuroscience and Behavior, eds. Johnson, B.A. and Roache, J., Lippincott Raven Publishers, Philadelphia, pp. 295-317.
• Uhl, G.R., Miner, L., Donovan, D., Sharpe, L., Johnson, P.S., Moriwaki, A., Wang, J.B. and Surratt, C.K. (1995). Mu opiate receptor: expression, transgenic mice, and influences of C-terminal and 3'-untranslated regions. Analgesia 1: 801.
• Surratt, C.K., Johnson, P.S., Moriwaki, A., Seidleck, B.K., Blaschak, C.J., Wang, J.B., Yuhasz, S. and Uhl, G.R. (1994). mu opiate receptor structure/function relationships. Regulatory Peptides 54: 289.
• Surratt, C.K., Johnson, P.S., Moriwaki, A., Seidleck, B.K., Blaschak, C.J., Wang, J.B. and Uhl, G.R. (1994). mu opiate receptor: charged transmembrane domain amino acids are critical for agonist recognition and intrinsic activity. J. Biol. Chem. 269: 20548.
• Surratt, C.K., Wang, J.B., Yuhasz, S., Amzel, L.M., Kwon, H.M., Handler, J.S. and Uhl, G.R. (1993). Sodium- and chloride-dependent transporters in brain, kidney, and gut: lessons from complementary DNA cloning and structure-function studies. Current Opinion in Nephrology and Hypertension 2: 744.
• G.R. (1993). Dopaminergic gene expression during amphetamine withdrawal. NeuroReport 4: 1.
• Surratt, C.K., Persico, A.M., Yang, X.-D., Edgar, S.R., Bird, G.S., Hawkins, A.L., Griffin, C.A., Li, X., Jabs, E.W. and Uhl, G.R. (1993). A human synaptic vesicle monoamine transporter cDNA predicts post-translational modifications, reveals chromosome 10 gene localization and identifies Taq I RFLPs. FEBS Letters 318: 325.
• Surratt, C.K., Milan, S.C. and Chamberlin, M.J. (1991). Spontaneous cleavage of RNA in ternary complexes of Escherichia coli RNA polymerase and its significance for the mechanism of transcription. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 88: 7983.
• Surratt, C.K., Carter, B.J., Payne, R.C. and Hecht, S.M. (1990). Metal ion and substrate structure dependence of the processing of tRNA precursors by RNase P and M1 RNA. J. Biol. Chem. 265: 22513.
• Surratt, C.K., Lesnikowski, Z., Schifman, A.L., Schmidt, F.J. and Hecht, S.M. (1990). Construction and processing of transfer RNA precursor models. J. Biol. Chem. 265: 22506.
• Roesser, J.R., Xu, C., Payne, R.C., Surratt, C.K. and Hecht, S.M. (1989). Preparation of misacylated aminoacyl-tRNAPhe 's useful as probes of the ribosomal acceptor site. Biochemistry 28: 5185.
• Surratt, C.K., Carter, B.J. and Hecht, S.M. (1988). Processing of a synthetic tRNA precursor model by E. coli RNase P and M1 RNA. In: Molecular Biology of RNA 94: 79. UCLA Symposia on Molecular and Cellular Biology, New Series, ed. Cech, T.R., Allan R. Liss Inc., New York, N.Y.
• Carter, B.J., Surratt, C.K. and Hecht, S.M. (1988). Chemical processing of synthetic and natural tRNA precursors. FASEB J. 2: 4261.
• Surratt, C.K., Carter, B.J. and Hecht, S.M. (1988). Synthetic "tRNA dimers": A novel approach to the study of transfer RNA biosynthesis. J. Cellular Biochem. 12D: 208.