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(Alexandria, VA)–Candace Y.W. Lee, MD, PhD, FRCPC, FACC, FACP, Senior Research Fellow at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, has been selected by the American Society for Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics (ASCPT) as the 2007 ASCPT Young Investigator Award recipient. She will receive the award on Wednesday, April 2, 2008, during the opening session of the Annual Meeting in Orlando, Florida.

The Young Investigator Award supports a fellow in clinical pharmacology or a related field who is engaged in clinical/translational research. ASCPT broadly defines clinical research as clinical pharmacology investigation that is hypothesis-driven and focused on drug discovery and molecular research, drug development, drug action and disposition, clinical trials, regulatory sciences, therapeutics, and outcomes research in humans.

Dr. Lee's proposal entitled "Discovery and Development of Novel Designer Natriuretic Peptides for the Treatment of Heart Failure" was selected as the best scientific proposal from a highly competitive group of clinical pharmacology trainees.

Under the mentorship of John C. Burnett, Jr., MD, Marriott Family Professor in Cardiovascular Research, Mayo Distinguished Investigator, and Head of the Heart and Lung Research Center at Mayo Clinic, Dr. Lee's investigation sets forth objectives for a number of research firsts, including defining the in vivo integrative cardiorenal physiological actions of a Mayo-designed novel chimeric natriuretic peptide, CD-NP, in patients with chronic stable heart failure, and evaluating in vivo cardiorenal actions of an alternative novel fully "humanized" NP, CU-NP, in dogs with experimental heart failure. Finally, Dr. Lee will define in isolated human glomeruli and inner medullary collecting duct cells of the cGMP-activating actions of both designer peptides to provide insights into their renal mechanisms of action.

Support for this award was provided by Amgen in the form of an unrestricted education grant. Dr. Lee will receive a $35,000 grant to support her investigation and will report back to ASCPT in June 2008 with the results of her research.

ASCPT is the leading forum for the exchange, development, and integration of translational science into the drug development continuum from discovery to safe and effective medication use. Headquartered in Alexandria, VA, ASCPT was founded in 1900 and has more than 2,100 members worldwide.