Nickie Durham

Background

About Nickie Durham

Experienced preclinical scientist specializing in in vivo and in vitro pharmacology for skeletal and smooth muscle programs in: • Assessing in vivo specificity and leading high-throughput screening for muscle-targeted therapeutics • Designing, optimizing, and implementing novel in vivo assays to measure muscle contractility and whole-body function • Broad expertise in drug administration routes (IM, PO, SC, IP, ID, IV, IA, IH, IT, DPI, PO-capsule) • Conducting in vitro tissue bath assays (e.g, methacholine-induced tracheal ring constriction, electrical field stimulation, aortic skinned rings) • Serving as Principal Investigator on multiple active IACUC protocols • Skilled in plethysmography (Buxco: resistance, compliance, unrestrained/whole body, double chamber) and locomotor activity assays (SDI Open Field/Vertical Activity) • Proficient with Aurora Scientific in situ muscle assays for functional evaluation of intact muscle groups in rodent models • Extensive experience with acute and chronic pulmonary hypertension rat models (U-46619, monocrotaline, hypoxia-induced) • Placement of Millar catheters for single/dual pressure measurements (RV, LV, PV loop, systemic pressures) • Authoring non-clinical development reports and scientific abstracts • Advanced user of data acquisition and analysis software (PowerLab, AD Instruments, Buxco, IOX, Abase, DSI, Prism, Excel)