Professor

Joined the faculty: 2003

Affiliations: MBR Cancer Center

Teaching: PHAR 741, PCOL 744, PCOL 761, CCMD 793M, CCB 700, PHAR 735, PHAR 731, PHAR 792

Office: 1824 Cancer Center
Phone: (304) 293-0495
Fax: (304) 293-4667
Email: wpetros@hsc.wvu.edu

The general focus of my research has entailed investigations concerning the clinical pharmacology of both cytokines and anti-cancer drugs. Most of the work has involved evaluation of anti-cancer drug pharmacometrics and pharmacogenetics in humans. The techniques typically entail: chromatography (HPLC +/- MS), pharmacometric modeling, and RT-PCR. The types of studies I have participated in range from those which involve traditional cytotoxic drugs in the high-dose setting to phase I (first in human) investigations of molecularly targeted agents.

I am also involved in the design and conduct of early phase treatment-related and research-related clinical trials in patients with cancer. Recent areas of focus include: development and evaluation of a drug to prevent fluorpyrimidine-induced palmar-plantar erythrodysesthesia; evaluation of drug dosing in obese patients; and elucidation of genetic factors related to chemotherapy-associated cognitive dysfunction.

My long term research goals include developing clinically feasible approaches which improve the selection and dosing of anti-cancer drugs for individual patients.

  References:

• Younis IR, Malone S, Friedman HS, Schaaf LJ, Petros WP. Enterohepatic recirculation model of irinotecan (CPT-11) & metabolite pharmacokinetics in patients with glioma. Cancer Chemother Pharmacol 2009;63:517-524.
   
• Rao AV, Younis IR, Sand GJ, Spasojevic I, Adams DJ, Decastro CM, Gockerman JP, Peterson BL, Petros WP, Moore JO, Rizzieri DA. Phase I evaluation of gemcitabine, mitoxantrone, and their effect on plasma disposition of fludarabine in patients with relapsed or refractory acute myeloid leukemia. Leuk Lymphoma 2008;49:1523-1529.
   
• Younis IR, Elliott M, Peer CJ, Cooper AJL, Pinto JT, Konat GW, Kraszpulski M, Petros WP, Callery PS. Dehydroalanine analog of glutathione: An electrophilic busulfan metabolite that binds to human glutathione S-transferase A1-1. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 2008;327:770-776.
   
• Petros WP & Craig M. Hematopoiesis. In: DiPiro JT, Talbert RL, Yee GC, Matzke GR, Wells BG, Posey LM, eds. Pharmacotherapy: A Pathophysiologic Approach, Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins. Seventh Edition, 1627-1638, 2008.
   
• Petros WP, Hopkins PJ, Spruill S, Broadwater G, Vredenburgh JJ, Colvin OM, Peters WP, Jones RB, Hall J, Marks J. Associations between drug metabolism genotype, chemotherapy pharmacokinetics, and overall survival in patients with breast cancer. J Clin Oncol 2005;23:6117-6125.