Dr. Brown joined the Manchester University Pharmacy Program in 2011.  He received his BS degree in biochemistry from Eastern Michigan University in 2004, and PhD degree in medicinal chemistry from Wayne State University in 2008.  Upon completing graduate training, Dr. Brown worked as a postdoctoral research associate in the Department of Medicinal Chemistry at the University of Minnesota from 2008 until 2011.  Dr. Brown is responsible for teaching biochemistry and medicinal chemistry in the Doctor of Pharmacy Program. 

Course Taught

PHRM 310 Biomedical Sciences I

PHRM 451 IPT: Nervous System I

PHRM 452 IPT: Cardiovascular I

PHRM 453 IPT: Cardiovascular II

PHRM 454 IPT: Nervous System II

PHRM 455 IPT: Infectious Disease I

PHRM 550 IPT: Infectious Disease II

PHRM 551 IPT: Endocrine and Reproductive

PHRM 552 IPT: Renal and Urologic

PHRM 554 IPT: Gastrointestinal

PHRM 556 IPT: Hematology/Oncology

PHRM 482: Independent Research

PHRM 483: Research Techniques in Pharmaceutical Science

Research Interests

Dr. Brown’s research laboratory uses the tools of chemistry to investigate problems at the intersection of neuroscience and the immune system. Current projects include the design, synthesis, and evaluation of dithiolethiones as antioxidant and anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective agents.  Research in the Brown laboratory regularly incorporates both undergraduate and pharmacy students.  Students interested in working with Dr. Brown are encouraged to contact him regarding current opportunities. 

Representative Publications

1. Kuo PC, Yu IC, Scofield BA, Brown D, Curfman ET, Paraiso HC, Chang FL, Yen JH.  (2017) 3H-1,2-Dithiole-3-thione as a novel therapeutic agent for the treatment of ischemic stroke through Nrf2 defense pathway.  Brian, Behavior, and Immunity 62: 180
2. Brown D, Betharia S, Yen JH, Kuo PC, Mistry H.  (2016) Further structure-activity relationships study of substituted dithiolethiones as glutathione-inducing neuroprotective agents.  Chemistry Central Journal 10: 64
3. Kuo PK, Brown D, Scofield B, Yu IC, Chang FL, Wang PY, Yen JY.  (2016) 3H-1,2-dithiole-3-thione as a novel therapeutic agent for the treatment of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis.  Brian, Behavior, and Immunity 57: 173
4. Brown D, Betharia S, Yen J H, Tran Q, Mistry H, Smith K.  (2014) Synthesis and structure–activity relationships study of dithiolethiones as inducers of glutathione in the SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cell line.  Bioorganic and Medicinal Chemistry Letters 24: 5829
5. Brown D, Mishra M, Zhang S, Biswas S, Parrington I, Antonio T, Reith M, Aloke D.  (2009) Investigation of various N-heterocyclic substituted piperazine versions of 5/7-{[2-(4-aryl-piperazin-1-yl)-ethyl]-propyl-amino}-5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-naphthalen-2-ol: effect on affinity and selectivity for dopamine D3 receptor.  Bioorganic and Medicinal Chemistry 17: 3923
6. Brown D, Kharkar P, Parrington I, Reith M, Dutta A.  (2008) Structurally constrained hybrid derivatives containing octahydrobenzo[g or f]quinoline moieties for dopamine D2 and D3 receptors: Binding characterization at D2/D3 receptors and elucidation of a pharmacophore model.  Journal of Medicinal Chemistry 5: 7806