About Us

Yuri Peterson, Ph.D: Interim Director

Dr. Peterson received a B.S. in Plant Biotechnology from Salem International University West Virginia in 1996, a MS in Molecular Pharmacology from the Medical University of South Carolina in 2001, and a Ph.D. in Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics from the LSU Health Sciences Center in 2004. Following postdoctoral work in cancer mechanisms, enzymology and drug development in the Department of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology/ Center for Chemical Biology at the Duke University Medical Center, he joined the MUSC College of Pharmacy in 2009.

Peterson’s research focus is in applied pharmacologic sciences using in vitro, cell based, and in silico approaches to quantify protein and small molecule functionality to bridge chemical biology and pathobiology. Dr. Peterson’s current research focuses on the regulation and therapeutic potential of bioenergetics, receptor signaling and desensitization, drug and biomarker discovery, and the application of high-performance microscopy and computing to predictive pharmacology.

Gyda Beeson: Associate Director and Core Operations Manager

Masaaki Ishii, Ph.D, Senior Bioenergetics Specialist

Dr. Ishii’s research focuses are mitochondrial dysfunction and disease associated with oxidative stress and aging, such an Age-related Macular Degeneration. Ishii is pursuing the links between mitochondrial morphological change and physiology using microscope and the high resolution respirometric assay XF seahorse system. Ishii has experience with the XF Seahorse assay for cells and isolated mitochondria.