Profile

2006-2010 BS in Biopharmaceutical Chemistry, Autonomous University of Baja California, Tijuana, BC, Mexico.

2011-2013 MS, Autonomous University of Baja California, Tijuana, BC, Mexico.

2014-2018 PhD, University of Baja California, Mexico, Tijuana, BC, Mexico.

2014-2018 Visiting Graduate Student, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA, USA.

2019-2024 Postdoctoral Fellow, National Institute on Drug Abuse-Intramural Research Program, Baltimore, MD, USA.

Our broad research interests are centered on the development of novel small molecules as chemical tools and potential therapeutics, targeting selected transporters and ligand-gated ion channels (LGIC) that are associated with neuropsychiatric disorders. We are particularly interested in the monoamine transporters uptake 1 and 2, nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) and the glutamate N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor.

Our approach, which requires collaborative efforts with other research groups, is divided into two branches: 1) drug discovery and development of potential therapeutics and 2) development of chemical probes.

The drug discovery and development of potential therapeutics branch focuses on the design, synthesis, in vitro pharmacological characterization [e.g., radioligand binding assays, Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET)] and behavioral pharmacology of innovative ligands to generate structure-activity relationship (SAR) studies and lead optimization through off-target, pharmacokinetic and in silico screening. Additionally, it is envisioned that these compounds can also be used to study protein-ligand interactions by structural biology.

The chemical probe branch focuses on the development of fluorescent cleavable and non-cleavable probes to study selected transporters and LGIC, ideally in their natural environment utilizing distinct microscopy techniques and flow cytometry.

Together, the overall goal of our research efforts is by generating novel pharmacological tools, advance our understanding and connect from a molecular to behavioral level, the pathophysiology of neuropsychiatric disorders.

1. Camacho-Hernandez GA, Gopinath A, Okorom AV, Khoshbouei H, Newman AH. Development of a fluorescently labelled ligand for rapid detection of DAT in human and mouse peripheral blood monocytes. JACS Au.2024,4(2): 657-665.Feature as a supplementary cover of JACS Au.
2. Ku TC^*, Cao JJ^*, Won SJ, Guo J, Camacho-Hernandez GA, Okorom AV, Salomon KW, Lee KH, Loland CL, Duff HJ, Shi L, Newman AH. A series of (([1,1'-biphenyl]-2-yl)methyl)sulfinylalkyl alicyclic amines as novel and high affinity atypical dopamine transporter inhibitors with reduced hERG activity. ACS Pharmacol and Transl. Sci. 2024, 7(2): 515-532. ^*Equal contribution.
3. Okorom AV^*, Camacho-Hernandez GA^*, Salomon KW, Lee KH, Ku TC, Cao JJ, Friedman J, Lam J, Paule J, Rais R, Xi ZX, Shi L, Loland CL, Newman AH. Modifications to bis(4-fluorophenyl)methyl)sulfinyl)alkyl alicyclic amines to improve metabolic stability and retain an atypical DAT inhibitor profile. J Med Chem.2024, 67(1), 709-727. ^*Equal contribution.
4. Luethi D, Maier J, Rudin D, Szöllősi D, Angenoorth TJF, Stankovic S, Schittmayer M, Burger I, Yang J-W, Jaentsch K, Holy M, Das AK, Brameshuber M, Camacho-Hernandez GA, Casiraghi A, Newman AH, Kudlacek O, Birner-Gruenberger R, Stockner T, Schütz GJ, Sitte HH. Phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate facilitates norepinephrine transporter dimerization and modulates substrate efflux. Commun Biol. 2022;5(1):1259.
5. Stokes C, Camacho-Hernandez GA, Thakur GA, Wu X, Taylor P, Papke RL. Differential Activation and Desensitization States Promoted by Non-canonical α7 nAChR Agonists. J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 2022, 383(2):157-171. Selected as the Highlighted Trainee Author of The Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, 2022 November Issue.
6. Kramer P, Brill-Weil S, Cummins A, Zhang R, Camacho-Hernandez GA, Newman AH, Eldridge M, Khaliq Z. Synaptic-like axo-axonal transmission from striatal cholinergic interneurons onto dopaminergic fibers. Neuron, 2022, S0896-6273, 22, 00656-0.
7. Camacho-Hernandez GA^*, Casiraghi A^*, Rudin D, Luethi D, Ku TC, Guthrie DA, Straniero V, Valotti E, Shütz GJ, Sitte HH, Newman AH. Illuminating the norepinephrine transporter: Fluorescent probes based on talopram and nisoxetine. RSC Med. Chem., 2021,12, 1174-1186. ^*Equal contribution.
8. Camacho-Hernandez GA, Stokes C, Duggan BM, Kaczanowska K, Brandao-Araiza S, Doan L, Papke RL, Taylor P. Synthesis, Pharmacological Characterization, and Structure-Activity Relationships of Noncanonical Selective Agonists for α7 nAChRs. J Med Chem. 2019 Nov 27;62(22):10376-10390. 
9. Kaczanowska K^*, Camacho Hernandez GA^*, Bendiks L, Kohs L, Cornejo-Bravo JM, Harel M, Finn MG, Taylor P. Substituted 2-Aminopyrimidines Selective for α7-Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor Activation and Association with Acetylcholine Binding Proteins. J Am Chem Soc. 2017 Mar 15;139(10):3676-3684. ^*Equal contribution.

    

   Selected Review Articles:

10. Camacho-Hernandez GA, Jahan K, Newman AH. Illuminating the monoamine transporters: fluorescent ligands to study DAT, SERT, and NET. Basic Clin Pharmacol Toxicol. 2023, 1-12. Invited review. Feature as “Reviews to read” January 2023 at the National Institute on Drug Abuse, Intramural Research Program web site.
11. Taylor P, Shong Y-J, Samskey N, Ho K-Y, Radic Z, Fenical W, Sharpless KB, Kovarik Z, Camacho-Hernandez GA. Ligand design for human acetylcholinesterase and nicotinic acetylcholine receptors, extending beyond the conventional and canonical. Journal of Neurochemistry 2021 00:1–6.
12. Camacho-Hernandez GA^*, Taylor P^*. Lessons from nature: Structural studies and drug design driven by a homologous surrogate from invertebrates, AChBP. Neuropharmacology. 2020 Apr 27:108108. ^*Co-corresponding author of invited review.