Director, Bio-Imaging Lab — Division of Neurotoxicology

Serguei Liachenko, M.D., Ph.D.
(870) 543-7121
NCTRResearch@fda.hhs.gov  

Back to NCTR Principal Investigators page

About  |  Publications  |  Lab Members

Background

Dr. Serguei Liachenko studied at the Russian State Medical University in Moscow from 1981-1988. He then worked at several institutions in Russian pharmaceutical and biotechnology business. In 1994, he obtained an M.D. and a Ph.D. degree in pharmacology from the Russian Research Center for Bioactive Compounds in Moscow. After relocating to the U.S. in 1995, he completed postdoctoral training at the University of Pittsburgh from 1995-2002. During this time; he received the National Research Service Award from NIH. In 2002, Dr. Liachenko joined the Bio-Imaging Center of Emphasis at Pfizer, Inc. In September 2009, he accepted the position of director of Bio-Imaging at NCTR.

Research Interests

Current research interests include:

• discovering and developing nonclinical imaging biomarkers of drug toxicity and efficacy using magnetic resonance imaging and spectroscopy.
• investigating glutamine cycle involvement in neurotoxicity, neurological disorders, and addictive substances abuse
• elucidating the mechanisms of toxicity using magnetic resonance.
• continuous improvement of imaging/spectroscopic methods in nonclinical applications.

Dr. Liachenko’s expertise includes:

• biology
• pharmacology
• animal research
• bio-imaging, magnetic resonance, imaging analysis
• algorithms development
• additive (3D printing) and subtractive (3D milling) rapid prototyping.

Dr. Liachenko’s research goals include the development of imaging/spectroscopy biomarkers of toxicity to the stage of formal qualification by FDA, development of MRI toolboxes for routine applications in drug safety research, and elucidation of biochemical pathways of drug addiction using minimally invasive imaging technologies.

Professional Societies/National and International Groups

Health and Environmental Sciences Institute
Member
2010 – Present 

International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine
Member
2002 – 2014

Society of Toxicology
Member
2010 – 2014 

Selected Publications

Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopic Analysis of Neurometabolite Changes in the Developing Rat Brain at 7 Tesla.
Ramu J., Konak T., and Liachenko S.
Brain Res. 2016, 1651: 114-20.

Longitudinal Diffusion Tensor Imaging of the Rat Brain after Hexachlorophene Exposure.
Ramu J., Konak T., Paule M.G., Hanig J.P., and Liachenko S.
Neurotoxicology. 2016, 56: 225-32.

Quantification and Reproducibility Assessment of the Regional Brain T2 Relaxation in Naïve Rats at 7T.
Liachenko S., and Ramu J.
J Magn Reson Imaging. 2016, doi: 10.1002/jmri.25378.

Translational Biomarkers of Neurotoxicity: A Health and Environmental Sciences Institute Perspective on the Way Forward.
Roberts R.A., Aschner M., Calligaro D., Guilarte T.R., Hanig J.P., Herr D.W., Hudzik T.J., Jeromin A., Kallman M.J., Liachenko S., Lynch J.J. 3rd, Miller D.B., Moser V.C., O'Callaghan J.P., Slikker W. Jr., and Paule M.G.
Toxicol Sci. 2015, 148(2): 332-40.

Iron Oxide Nanoparticles Induce Dopaminergic Damage: In Vitro Pathways and In Vivo Imaging Reveals Mechanism of Neuronal Damage.
Imam S.Z., Lantz-McPeak S.M., Cuevas E., Rosas-Hernandez H., Liachenko S., Zhang Y., Sarkar S., Ramu J., Robinson B.L., Jones Y., Gough B., Paule M.G., Ali S.F., and Binienda Z.K.
Mol Neurobiol. 2015, 52(2): 913-26.

Quantitative Assessment of MRI T2 Response to Kainic Acid Neurotoxicity in Rats In Vivo.
Liachenko S., Ramu J., Konak T., Paule M.G., and Hanig J.
Toxicol Sci. 2015, 146(1): 183-91.

The Use of MRI to Assist the Section Selections for Classical Pathology Assessment of Neurotoxicity.
Hanig J., Paule M.G., Ramu J., Schmued L., Konak T., Chigurupati S., Slikker W. Jr., Sarkar S., and Liachenko S.
Regul Toxicol Pharmacol. 2014, 70(3): 641-7.

Lab Members

Contact information for all division scientists:
(870) 543-7121
NCTRResearch@fda.hhs.gov

Natalya Sadovova, Ph.D.
Staff Fellow