D. Samba Reddy, PhD, RPh

Education and Training

• Panjab University, Chandigarh, PhD, Pharmacology, 1998
• Texas State BOP, Austin, TX, R.Ph, Pharmacy
• National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, Postdoctoral

Research Interests

• Molecular Pathophysiology and Neurotherapeutics of Epilepsy and Brain Disorders
• Dr. Reddy is a board-certified pharmacist-pharmacologist who has been researching new drug development for epilepsy and brain disorders for over 25 years. Epilepsy and seizure disorders affect about 65 million people worldwide, including 3.4 million civilians and veterans in the United States. There are no medications that can cure epilepsy, and about 30% of epilepsy cases are resistant to antiseizure medications. The Reddy lab is developing innovative, disease-modifying therapies for preventing the development and progression of epilepsy. Dr. Reddy directs a productive multidisciplinary research group utilizing pharmacological, neuroimaging, electrophysiological, neuropathological, molecular, and bioengineering techniques. Current projects in the Reddy lab are centered on elucidating the molecular pathophysiology of, and developing mechanism-based novel drug therapies for, epileptogenesis, status epilepticus, post-traumatic epilepsy, post-stroke epilepsy, and chemical neurotoxicity. Dr. Reddy has a longstanding interest in neurosteroids as novel anticonvulsants and neuroprotectants, and his lab has been conducting pioneering investigations on neurosteroid interactions at synaptic and extrasynaptic GABA-A receptors. The seminal contributions of the Reddy lab in elucidating the role of neurosteroids in the brain culminated in the discovery of the landmark “neurosteroid replacement therapy” (NRT). NRT consists of administering a natural or synthetic neurosteroid during a period of decreased levels or deficiency state to control seizures or alleviate mood disorders such as catamenial epilepsy, premenstrual syndrome, and post-partum depression. Dr. Reddy made critical foundational contributions in developing allopregnanolone (brexanolone), ganaxolone and other synthetic neurosteroids for epilepsy & women’s health conditions.
• Many of Dr. Reddy’s research innovations have had a profound impact on healthcare and clinical practice. His contributions led to the development of two new clinically-used medicines. In 2019, brexanolone (Zulresso) became the first FDA-approved drug for postpartum depression, a condition which affects nearly 10% of childbearing women. In 2022, ganaxolone (Ztalmy), the first neurosteroid for epilepsy, became the first FDA-approved therapy for CDKL5-deficient epilepsy. Another neurosteroid (zuranolone) was approved in 2023 for postpartum depression. Dr. Reddy lab’s critical contributory role in developing these medicines is evident from extensive work and publications for over 20 years, including foundational investigations into drug safety, efficacy, mechanism, and lack of tolerance upon chronic use. He was the first to discover neurosteroids’ ability to preferentially activate extrasynaptic GABA-A receptors, which represent novel targets for refractory epilepsy. In a patented invention, he discovered that neurosteroids can terminate hard-to-treat seizures, called status epilepticus, a life-threatening neurological emergency with persistent seizures. His “first-in-class” synthetic neurosteroid product is undergoing BARDA-sponsored, phase-3 trials for treatment of status epilepticus disorders in patients. It is poised to be a life-saving anticonvulsant antidote.
• The Reddy lab has been conducting innovative research on identifying epigenetic mechanisms and developing FDA-approvable, histone deacetylase-based therapies for epilepsy, epileptogenesis, and other chronic neurological disorders.
• The Reddy lab has been conducting clinically-translatable research on cannabinoids for epilepsy and brain injuries. In 2018, the FDA approved the first CBD product (Epidiolex) for pediatric epilepsies. His lab has uncovered the antiseizure and disease-modifying potential of CBD.
• Dr. Reddy is a Professor of Engineering Medicine & Affiliate Professor of the Biomedical Engineering department, where he runs interdisciplinary projects focused on the development of artificial Intelligence-based smart therapies for epilepsy and chronic brain disorders.
• The Reddy lab also has great interest in military medicine projects, such as development of novel antidotes for chemical warfare nerve agents, identification of prevention strategies for post-traumatic epilepsy, and testing treatments for Gulf War illness in veterans. Reddy was instrumental in discovering many preclinical models, mechanism-based treatment strategies, and novel medicines for such complex brain disorders. His research projects have been funded by the NIH and DOD for over 15 years. He is the principal investigator of an NIH CounterACT project focusing on novel treatments for organophosphate and nerve agent intoxication. He also directs a DOD project on post-traumatic epilepsy after traumatic brain injury, which affects many soldiers who have been in combat.
• Dr. Reddy teaches in medical, EnMed, and graduate courses on human pharmacology and therapeutics. He has presented 175 invited talks, authored/co-authored 475 presentations, and mentored over 100 students/ postdocs, and serves as an expert member in federal panels and organizations, including NIH, DOD and USP. He has published over 230 papers and book-chapters (H-index 57), which are available online (http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2735-9550).

Awards, Recognition and Service

• Fellow, American Epilepsy Society (AES)
• Fellow, American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
• Fellow, American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists (AAPS)
• SAB Member, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
• Contributing Editor, Epilepsy Currents (AES Journal)
• Chartered Member, NIH Study Section ANIE & CNNT
• Delegate Member, The United States Pharmacopoeia (USP)
• Registered Pharmacy Practitioner, Texas, United States
• Sigma Xi Faculty Research Award
• NIH Fellows Award for Research Excellence
• Texas A&M Medicine Excellence in Research Award (2015)
• Science & Technology Excellence award (2018)
• Mario Toppo Distinguished Scientist Award (2019)
• Lifetime Achievement Award in Pharmacy by ABAP Association (2019)
• Texas A&M Association of Former Students Distinguished Achievement Award in Research (2020)
• Texas A&M University System Chancellor EDGES Fellow (2020)
• Editorial Member, Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics (IF, 4.5)
• Editorial Member, Experimental Neurology (IF, 5.6)
• Editor-in-Chief, International Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Nanotechnology
• Associate Editor, Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience
• Associate Editor, Current Protocols (Wiley Inc)
• Guest Editor, Experimental Neurology (ESI: Cannabinoids in Neurology)
• Global Leader Award (2020) by the American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists for his lifetime contributions to pharmaceutical sciences with an outstanding impact on research and public health.
• Dr. Reddy is listed among the world’s top 2% scientists, as per the 2021 Stanford University survey of “highly cited scientists” worldwide.
• Guest Editor, Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics (JPET)
• Regents Professor Award (2022), the highest honor bestowed by the System to a faculty member