The Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology (CPT) Analytical Laboratory Program is dedicated to advancing patient care through analytical chemistry. The laboratory has high-performance equipment (e.g liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry systems), which allows for precise and accurate analyses of biological samples (blood, urine, etc.).
The laboratory’s main focus is in developing methods to accurately measure drug levels in patients to help optimise treatment outcomes: “the right dose for every patient”. The laboratory also supports clinical trials by developing tailored analytical methods to measure the medications being studied.
Examples of the laboratory’s work and how it will help patients includes the following:
Dried Blood Spots for Immunosuppressant Monitoring
This research project is studying the use of volumetric dried blood spots (vDBS) for routine monitoring of immunosuppressant medications in transplant recipients. If the use of vDBS is found to be a valid approach to monitoring the levels of these drugs, it may reduce the need for repeated blood tests. It may also allow patients to collect the blood sample at home, making the monitoring process much easier for patients taking immunosuppressants.
Expansion of Routine Assays
The Laboratory is actively working to improve therapeutic drug monitoring at St Vincent’s Hospital. A major focus is the development of assays to measure “free” drug (drug not bound to proteins in the blood) for a range of medications, including antibiotics.
Analysis of Up-And-Coming Therapeutics
The Laboratory supports clinical studies of potential new drugs by developing tailored assays to measure the levels of these drugs in the blood. An example of one of these new therapeutic drugs is psilocybin, the active component of “magic mushrooms”, which is currently being studied at the hospital for a range of mental health conditions.