Petrine Wellendorph

2006: Ph.D. (molecular pharmacology)
2001: M.Sc. (Pharm)

August 2010-present:
Associate Professor (tenured) at the Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Copenhagen.

November 2007-July 2010:
Associate Professor (non-tenured), Department of Medicinal Chemistry, PHARMA

August 2006-October 2007:
Post doc. at the Department of Medicinal Chemistry, PHARMA, University of Copenhagen.

July 2002-January 2006:
PhD student, Department of Medicinal Chemistry, The Danish University of Pharmaceutical Sciences and H. Lundbeck A/S.

September 2001-June 2002:
Amanuensis/research fellow, Department of Medicinal Chemistry, The Danish University of Pharmaceutical Sciences.

January-June 1998:
Scholar student, Department of Medicinal Chemistry, The Royal Danish School of Pharmacy.

July 2009-June 2010):
Visiting academic (Alfred Benzon research stipendiate) in the laboratory of Associate Professor Mary Chebib, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Sydney, Australia

September 2006-June 2009:
Visiting Post doc. in laboratory of Professor Gitte Moos Knudsen, Neurobiology Research Unit, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark.

March-May 2004:
Visiting PhD student in laboratory of Jan Egebjerg, Department of Molecular Biology, H. Lundbeck A/S, Valby, Denmark.

January-July 2003:
Visiting PhD student in laboratory of Professor Bernhard Bettler, University of Basel, Department of Physiology, Basel, Switzerland.

January-July 2000:
Student undergraduate research fellowship at ACADIA Pharmaceuticals Inc., San Diego, CA, USA.

• 2012: Postdoc grant, the Carlsberg Foundation (500,000)
• 2011: PhD grant, the Lundbeck Foundation (1.100,000)
• 2011: Research grant, the Hørslev Foundation (594,000)
• 2010: Research grant, the Novo Nordisk Foundation (DKK 290,000)
• 2010: Research grant, Fonden til Lægevidenskabens Fremme (administered by the A.P. Møller Foundation) (DKK 50,000)
• 2010: Research grant (co-applicant), the National Health and Medical Research Council, Australia (total AUD$ 508,135)
• 2010: Research grant, the Aase & Ejnar Danielsen Foundation (DKK 70,000)
• 2008: Awarded 1st prize in the science communication contest at Neuroday 2008 held by the University of Copenhagen. Title of presentation: Fascinating Fantasy (DKK 3,000)
• 2008: Research grant, Fonden til Lægevidenskabens Fremme (administered by the A.P. Møller Foundation) (DKK 78,131)
• 2008: Awarded, ’For Women in Science’ research prize sponsored by L’Oréal A/S, UNESCO and the Royal Danish Academy of Science and Letters (DKK 100,000)
• 2008: Recipient of a 1-year Alfred Benzon research stipend (for visit to the University of Sydney, Australia, July 2009-June 2010) (DKK 575,000)
• 2008 and 2004: Recipient of NIH conference Keystone travel grant ($ 1,000)
• 2008: Recipient of research grant from Oticonfonden (DKK 3,000)
• 2007: Research grant, Carl og Ellen Hertz legat (DKK 11,600)
• 2006: Recipient of a three-year Post doc fellowship from The Danish Medical Research Council (DKK 2,094,000)
• 2006: Research grant, Carl og Ellen Hertz legat (DKK 10,000)
• 2006: Research grant, Augustinus-fonden (DKK 100,000)
• 2006: Research grant, Brdr. Hartmanns fond (DKK 75,000)
• 2006: Research grant, Beckett-fonden (DKK 25,000)
• 2004: DRA equipment Grant (DKK 30,000)
• 2001: Awarded the Archimedes prize and EU research grant (€44,000) based on Master thesis

• Molecular pharmacology of receptors and transporters
• Characterization of receptors and ligands in cell-based and native systems
• GABAergic neurotransmission
• Gamma-hydroxy butyric acid (GHB)/Fantasy in the mammalian brain

My research group is interested in the molecular neuropharmacology of the GABA system, i.e. the receptors and transporters for the main inhibitory neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in the mammalian brain. Currently, the research is focused on two main projects: 1) In vitro and in vivo pharmacological studies on the neuroactive substance gamma-hydroxybutyric acid (GHB), a metabolite of GABA and 2) Molecular pharmacology of GABA transporters, the proteins involved in the synaptic reuptake of GABA.

The research aims to investigate the molecular mechanisms of selected GABAergic proteins, discovering and developing novel ligands with interesting neuropharmacological properties for future therapeutic interventions, and elucidating the neurobiology/physiology of these receptors and transporters.

• PhD student Jonas Skovgaard-Petersen, “Molecular pharmacology of GABA transporters: Probing for subtype selectivity” (from August 2010)
• PhD student Laura Friis Eghorn, “Neuropharmacological studies of the putative γ-hydroxybutyric acid (GHB) receptor” (from September 2010)
• PhD student Tina Bay, “In vitro and in vivo neuropharmacology studies on γ-hydroxybutyric acid (GHB) – also known as the drug of abuse Fantasy” (from September 2010)

• PhD Student Inge Stengaard Villumsen, "Molecular identification and functional attributes of the elusive GHB receptor” (From January 2012)

Internal:

• Professor Hans Bräuner-Osborne (GAT/GHB molecular pharmacology)
• Associate Professor Rasmus P. Clausen (GAT/GHB medicinal chemistry)
• Associate Professor Bente Frølund (GHB medicinal chemistry)
• Associate Professor Kristi Kohlmeier (GHB electrophysiology)
• Post doc. Stine Byskov Vogensen (GAT medicinal chemistry)
• Professor Arne Schousboe (GAT molecular pharmacology)
• Post doc. Karsten Kirkegaard Madsen (GAT molecular pharmacology)

External:

• Professor Gitte Moos Knudsen, Copenhagen University Hospital, Denmark (GHB in vitro and in vivo pharmacology)
• Post doc. Martin H. F. Pedersen, RISØ, The Danish Technical University, Denmark (GHB radiochemistry)
• Associate Professor Mary Chebib, University of Sydney, Australia (GABA/GAT electrophysiology)
• Professor Iain McGregor, University of Sydney, Australia (GHB in vivo pharmacology)
• Professor Graham Johnston, University of Sydney, Australia (GAT medicinal chemistry and pharmacology)
• Professor Steve White, University of Utah, USA (GAT in vivo pharmacology)
• Professor Bernhard Bettler, University of Basel, Switzerland (GHB and GABA(B) receptors)
• Professor Esa Korpi, University of Helsinki, Finland (GHB in vitro pharmacology)

2011-:2016 Elected member of the Young Academy of Denmark (vice president), the Royal Danish Society of Science and Letters

2010-2012: Elected member of the board of the Danish Society for Neuroscience (dSfN)

29 publications (original articles and reviews in international scientific journals)
>530 citations (ISI)

Pan Y, Gerasimov MR, Kvist T, Wellendorph P, Madsen KK, Pera E, Lee H, Schousboe A, Chebib M, Bräuner-Osborne H, Craft CM, Brodie JD, Schiffer WK, Dewey SL, Miller SR, Silverman RB. CPP-115, a Potent γ-Aminobutyric Acid Aminotransferase Inactivator for the Treatment of Cocaine Addiction. J. Med. Chem.; 55: 357-66 (2012). 

*Gloriam DE, *Wellendorph P, *Johansen LD, Thomsen ARB, Phonekeo K, Pedersen DS & Bräuner-Osborne H. Chemogenomic Discovery of Novel Allosteric Antagonists at the GPRC6A Receptor. Chem. Biol.; 18: 1489-98 (2011). *co-first-authors.

Karim N, Gavande N, Wellendorph P, Johnston GA, Hanrahan J & Chebib M. 3-Hydroxy-2'-methoxy-6-methylflavone: A potent anxiolytic with a unique selectivity profile at GABA-A receptor subtypes. Biochem. Pharmacol.; 82: 1971-83 (2011).    

*Wellendorph P, *Johansen LD & Bräuner-Osborne H. The emerging role of promiscuous 7TM receptors as chemosensors for food intake. Vitam. Horm.; 84: 151-84 (2010). *co-first-authors.

Wellendorph P, Høg S, Sabbatini P, Pedersen MHF, Martiny L, Knudsen GM, Frølund B, Clausen RP & Bräuner-Osborne H. Novel radioiodinated GHB analogues for radiolabeling and photolinking of high-affinity GHB binding sites. J. Pharmacol. Exp. Therap.; 335: 456-64 (2010).

Sabbatini P, Wellendorph P, Høg S, Pedersen MHF, Bräuner-Osborne H, Martiny L, Frølund B & Clausen RP. Design, synthesis and in vitro pharmacology of new radiolabelled GHB analogues including photolabile analogues with irreversible binding to the high-affinity GHB binding sites. J. Med. Chem.; 53: 6506-10 (2010).

Pedersen M, Høg S, Wellendorph P & Martiny L. Radiodestannylation of novel GHB neuroreceptor ligands. J. Label. Comp. Radiopharm.: 53, 318-320 (2010).

*Wellendorph P, *Johansen LD & Bräuner-Osborne H. Molecular pharmacology of promiscuous nutrient sensing G protein-coupled receptors. Mol. Pharmacol.; 76, 453-65 (2009). *co-first-authors

Wellendorph P, Høg S, Skonberg C & Bräuner-Osborne H. Specific g-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) sites in rat brain bind phenylacetic acids like the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) diclofenac. Fund. Clin. Pharmacol.; 23, 207-213 (2009).

Wellendorph P & Bräuner-Osborne H. Molecular basis for amino acid sensing in family C G protein-coupled receptors. Br. J. Pharmacol.; 156, 86984 (2009).

Wellendorph P, Johansen LD, Jensen AA, Casanova E, Gassmann M, Deprez P, Clément-Lacroix P, Bettler B & Bräuner-Osborne H. No evidence for a bone phenotype in GPRC6A knockout mice under normal physiological conditions. J. Mol. Endocrinol.; 42, 215-23 (2009).

Høg S, Wellendorph P, Dahl IF, Nielsen B, Frydenvang K, Bräuner-Osborne H, Brehm L, Frølund B & Clausen RP. Synthesis and binding studies of novel selective g-hydroxybutyric acid (GHB) analogues with nanomolar affinity. J. Med. Chem.; 51, 8088-95 (2008).  

Other publications (in Danish):

• Villumsen IS, Vogensen SB, Frølund B, Clausen RP & Wellendorph P. Målrettet fisketur i hjernen giver ny viden om Fantasy’s virkningssted, Lægemiddelforskning  (2011).
• Johansson H, Jørgensen TB, Gloriam DE, Wellendorph P, Johansen LD, Pedersen DS & Bräuner-Osborne H. Kemogenomik: Receptoren set fra lægemiddelstoffets synspunkt, Dansk kemi 92 nr. 11, p. 22-26. (2011).