Vanderbilt University Assistant Professor of Pharmacology听听has been recognized with the 2020 Melvin R. Goodes Prize for Excellence in Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery. Presented by the听, the prize recognizes leading researchers who are developing treatments for Alzheimer鈥檚 disease and related dementias.听
Rook was formally recognized at the ADDF virtual fall luncheon and symposium on Oct. 30.听听
As director of in vivo and behavioral pharmacology at the Vanderbilt University听, Rook鈥檚 research focus over the past 10 years has been on developing treatments for the cognitive decline associated with Alzheimer鈥檚 disease. Her work has contributed to the development of the small molecule VU319, which targets a protein receptor in the brain that is essential to normal brain function, learning and memory. This new method, known as positive allosteric modulation, is helping to fine-tune the circuitry of the brain.听听
鈥淲e鈥檙e trying to increase the activity of cells with a dimmer switch, to refine the activity of cellular targets in the brain instead of over-activating the system, which has resulted in previous failures by other drug discovery programs,鈥� said Rook, the lead biologist on the drug discovery program.听听听
The ADDF-Harrington Foundation was key to helping the VU319 project avoid the dreaded 鈥渧alley of death鈥� period, the nebulous time when strong scientific research programs struggle to get from the lab to a clinical setting. In听,听Rook and collaborator Dr.听,听director of the Center for Cognitive Medicine at Vanderbilt University Medical Center and professor of psychiatry and pharmacology, were presented with the ADDF-Harrington Scholar Award.听听
鈥淭his award enabled us to continue our very early safety pharmacology and toxicology studies to听help听turn our ideas into reality,鈥� said Rook.听鈥�The Warren Center for Neuroscience Drug Discovery at听Vanderbilt听University听is an ideal place to conduct drug discovery and development, and the ADDF-Harrington Scholar Award was听a听complement听to听the听resources听we have here at Vanderbilt.鈥�听
Researchers hit a key milestone听in听听when听the therapy was administered in a first-in-humans听phase 1 clinical trial听at the Vanderbilt Institute for Clinical and Translational Research听under the direction of听Newhouse.听Earlier this year听it听was licensed by ACADIA Pharmaceuticals Inc. to develop and commercialize the听therapy.听听
鈥淚 am very honored to receive this recognition from the ADDF. The ADDF鈥檚 devotion to Alzheimer鈥檚 drug discovery research in the search for a cure is relentless. We are making great strides toward this goal, and I look forward to continuing my research and pursuing an effective treatment for Alzheimer鈥檚 together,鈥� Rook said.听
Rook鈥檚 research is also supported by a R01 grant from the National Institute on Aging, as well as a UG3 grant from听National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. She听is a听member of the ADDF听听and is a regular member of expert panels convened to discuss and provide insight on research directions. In 2015, she received the听听award from the听National Institute on Aging听and in 2016 earned the听.听听
鈥�Professor听Rook鈥檚 innovative work has transformed the way that researchers think about treating Alzheimer鈥檚 disease,鈥� said听Lawrence听Marnett, dean of the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine Basic Sciences and Mary Geddes鈥�Stahlman鈥疨rofessor of Cancer Research.鈥�鈥淗er commitment and dedication are an example to so many, and we are very happy to see her career celebrated with this recognition.鈥�听
鈥淲e are thrilled to present Professor Rook with the sixth annual Goodes Prize for excellence in drug discovery,鈥� said Dr.听, founding executive director and chief science officer at the Alzheimer鈥檚 Drug Discovery Foundation. 鈥淧rofessor Rook鈥檚 research is significant in that she has found an innovative and creative way to develop compounds that are effective in regulating memory and cognition without the intolerable side effects for patients.鈥�听
About the Goodes Prize听
The Melvin R. Goodes Prize is named in honor of the courage, legacy and research advocacy of Mr. Goodes, former Warner-Lambert CEO and听chairman and honorary member of the ADDF’s Board of Governors. It was created听through听the generosity of Mr. Goodes and his wife, Nancy, who is also on the ADDF鈥�s听board. The Goodes Family Foundation committed $750,000 to fund the Goodes Prizes for 10 years, and the ADDF matched that contribution. Each year, the Goodes Prize is awarded to a professionally active researcher in academia or industry who has pursued novel research and made a significant and lasting impact in Alzheimer’s drug discovery. A Selection Committee that includes leaders in the field nominates candidates for consideration and chooses a winner based on achievements and proposed research.听