Dr. Lockridge's research goals are to develop a therapeutic reagent to prevent the toxicity of nerve agents and to treat the toxicity of organophosphorus pesticides. Her team is also developing a therapeutic to treat cocaine toxicity.

The new treatment strategy uses human butyrylcholinesterase, an enzyme found in human blood that will neutralize any pesticide or chemical warfare agent very effectively without being toxic to a person or an animal.

Her work also is relevant to Nebraska farmers because of the similarity in makeup of chemical warfare agents and pesticides. About 80,000 cases of pesticide poisoning are reported annually in the United States. Common pesticides such as roach and ant killers are in the same class of chemicals as the chemical nerve agents.

Dr. Lockridge is an associate professor at Eppley Institute for Research in Cancer and Allied Diseases and in UNMC's Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. She earned her Ph.D. from Northwestern University.

In these audio clips, Dr. Lockridge explains:

• How her work on butyrylcholinesterase assisted the Department of Defense.
• How her team struggled to learn the ins and outs of DNA technology.
• How she hopes her work can make it easier for physicians to tailor drug therapies for their patients.
• How soldiers would use a salve that protects against nerve gas poisoning.

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Related links:

• UNMC receives $1 million for research on chemical warfare agents
• UNMC researchers study ways to protect humans against chemical warfare agents
• Statewide bioterrorism preparedness group visits UNMC
• Faculty profile
• Eppley Institute
• UNMC Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology