Faculty
Ian S. Haworth, PhD
Associate ProfessorPharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences
Phone: (323) 442-3310
Fax: (323) 442-1390
Email: ihaworth@usc.edu
Research Interest
Computer modeling of biomolecular structure, and design of biomolecular interfaces through new algorithm development. Design of nucleic acid aptamers, analysis of nucleic acid structures in drug delivery, design of pro-drugs targeted to protein transporters, and vaccine design through prediction of MHC-peptide-TCR association.
Biography
Ph.D., University of Liverpool, U.K. (advisor: Prof. Raymond J. Abraham), 1986-1989, Physical Organic Chemistry. Postdoc. Oxford University, U.K. (advisor: Prof. W. Graham Richards), 1989-1992. Joined USC in 1992. Dr. Haworth's research interests lie at the interface between chemistry, biology and the computational sciences, with the goal being an improved understanding of the dynamics of molecular association of nucleic acids and proteins. Dr. Haworth has published over 60 papers in this area, and the work has attracted funding from federal and non-federal sources. Dr. Haworth's laboratory has developed algorithms for nucleic acid structure building, nucleic acid aptamer design, transporter protein structure and analysis, and MHC-peptide-TCR association. The basis of these algorithms is accurate reproduction of molecular association, through proper molecular and theoretical descriptions of biological interfaces. In the teaching area, Dr. Haworth has been active in moving part of the basic science Pharm.D. curriculum from the 'traditional' 'lecture/examination' approach to a more learner-centered, 'case study-based' approach, and has published a number of articles in this area. Dr. Haworth is a former chair of the Drug Design & Discovery section of the American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists and is an editorial advisory board member for Pharmaceutical Research and AAPS PharmSci.
