X

Specific Populations (SPO) Community (Formerly the Special Populations (SPO) Community)

Why we changed our community’s name:
While Special Populations has served us well, Specific Populations offers a more precise and inclusive description. This change enhances clarity, as the word specific offers a more accurate and contemporary term that better reflects the unique needs and characteristics of well-defined groups. It also avoids any unintended meanings that special might imply. Additionally, this terminology aligns with the latest guidance from US Food and Drug Administration, as seen in the Clinical Pharmacology Section of Labeling guidance, where Specific Populations is used to describe distinct subgroups.

 

 

The Specific Populations Community (SPO) focuses on research with groups of patients that differ with regard to human development (pediatrics, geriatrics, pregnancy), gender, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, body condition (obesity/malnutrition), or lifestyle (drug dependence, smoking).

Community Mission

The mission of the SPO Community is to engage members from academia, industry, and regulatory agencies in the development of scientific expertise and innovative tools to address the unique challenges and needs of specific populations. The Community fosters collaborations and knowledge-sharing among clinical pharmacologists interested in specific populations and advocates for the inclusion of diverse patient populations in research..

Community Goals

The SPO Community aims to advance clinical pharmacology and translational research for specific populations. These populations include pediatric, geriatric, sex, and ethnic groups, as well as individuals with conditions such as renal or hepatic impairment, pregnancy, lactation, genetic polymorphisms, obesity, low body weight, drug dependence, and smoking.
 

Community Objectives

  • Foster scientific expertise and awareness among Community members to address unique challenges and needs of specific populations.
  • Encourage development of innovative pharmacological tools and methods to address the needs of specific populations.
  • Facilitate collaboration and knowledge-sharing among clinical pharmacologists, regulatory agencies, and industry to improve the understanding of factors impacting therapeutic outcomes in specific populations.
  • Advocate inclusion of diverse patient populations in clinical research and promote development of guidelines and best practices for conducting research in specific populations.
  • Support creation of educational resources, such as webinars and programming for ASCPT Annual Meeting, to inform and engage Community members on issues related to specific populations.
  • Provide a platform for Community members to propose and sponsor programming, offer feedback, and respond to ideas and initiatives from the community.
By joining us, you'll have the opportunity to connect with experts in the field, share knowledge and insights, and collaborate on cutting-edge research initiatives. By working together, we can create a more inclusive and diverse research landscape that benefits patients from all backgrounds. Let's work together to make a difference. Join the ASCPT SPO Community today!

 Join the LinkedIn Group
 

Past Webinars
The webinars below can be accessed in the Members Only Webinar Library: Access Library
  • Failed Relative Bioavailability in Pediatrics: Modeling and Assessing Associated Putative Risk Factors
  • Biologics in Breastmilk: What Are the Risks?
  • A Pediatric Research Imperative: The Why and How of Addressing Diversity in Pediatric Research
  • Clinical Trials in the Pediatric CKD Population: Challenges and Opportunities
  • Recent Advances in Neonatal Clinical Pharmacology
  • Oral Drug Absorption in Pediatrics: What Do We Know and Where Are We Going?
  • Pediatric Master Protocols: Clinical Pharmacology Challenges and Opportunities (open access)
  • Optimization of Pharmacotherapy in Older Patients Understanding the Impactful Difference
  • Age-Dependent Developmental Changes in Hepatic Organic Cation Transporter 1 (OCT1) Protein Expression in Neonates and Small Infants
  • UGT1A9 rs3832043 Influences Acetaminophen Glucuronidation in Neonates
  • Maturation of Human Hepatic Membrane Transporter Proteins in the First Four Months of Life
  • Considerations for Evaluating Body Size and Body Composition
Xian Pan

Xian Pan, PhD

Community Chair

 

Yuki Otani

Yuki Otani, MD, PhD

Community Vice Chair

 

Mayur Ladumor

Mayur Ladumor, PhD

Community Past Chair

 

SPO Steering Committee
Martina Sahre, PhD
Farzaneh Salem, PharmD, PhD
Bianca van Groen, PharmD, PhD
Chakradhar Lagishetty, PhD
Hardik Chandasana, PhD
Kristin Bigos, PhD
Pradeep Lukka, PhD

 
SPO Community Past Chairs
Erica L. Woodahl, PhD
Catherine M.T. Sherwin, PhD
Paulien Ravenstijn, PhD
Bianca Van Groen, PharmD
Violette Gijsen, MD, PhD
Kristin Bigos, PhD
Pradeep Lukka, PhD
Mayur K. Ladumor, PhD

 

 

Photo Gallery
Recent News
  • Smartwatches: Monitoring Improved Health Awareness in Clinical Trials? ... If Used!
    June 20, 2025
  • FDA News: Issue 2, June 2025
    June 20, 2025
  • Designing Resource Cognizant Investigator Initiated Clinical Trials: A Tutorial
    June 12, 2025
Contact Us