Meet Dr. Martinez-Guerrero!
Dr. Lucy Martinez-Guerrero is a postdoctoral scholar in the School of Pharmacy. To her colleagues, Dr. Martinez is known as the “transport lady” because her research focuses on so-called transporter proteins that move substances across cell membranes. Transporter proteins are of particular clinical significance for their role in the movement of medications. Dr. Martinez’s work looks at the factors that can impact transporter function. Together with her PI Dr. Nathan Cherrington, Dr. Martinez’s objective is to refine drug prescriptions to help transporter proteins move drugs across the membrane and to understand transporter function when multiple drugs arrive at the cell membrane simultaneously.
Dr. Martinez became interested in toxicology as a Fulbright Scholar in the UA’s Physiological Sciences MS program. Now a postdoc, her research investigates how drugs and environmental toxicants including PFAS chemicals (non-degradable chemicals in the environment) impact transporter proteins in the kidney. In an effort to better predict how transporter proteins behave, Dr. Martinez’s team is currently gathering data on the effects of extreme heat on the number of transporter proteins expressed and the role that individual genetics plays in transporter function. A third project she is working on will result in the development of a novel (kidney) cell model used to evaluate how drugs are transported between multiple transporters. In this way, Dr. Martinez’s work continues to contribute to our understanding of the impact of kidney and liver diseases on drug absorption and secretion and has been recognized by the Society of Toxicology (2023). Her work is essential for people taking multiple medications or individuals with conditions like MASH, a chronic liver disease that Dr. Martinez has been studying.
Dr. Martinez admits that she will say yes to almost all research and learning opportunities. Although she previously taught in her home country, the Dominican Republic, for 3 years, she currently is participating in the Center for the Integration of Research, Teaching and Learning (CIRTL) Scholar program to learn how to better communicate her scientific knowledge to students in the classroom. Looking forward, Lucy is interested in developing her own curricula, building a research program focused on understanding more about transporter function and pursuing grant support.
See Dr. Martinez’s publications here: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Lucy-Martinez-Guerrero
Learn more about CIRTL here: https://postdoc.arizona.edu/professional-development/postdoctoral-teaching-certificate