Department of Medicine

Endocrinology, Diabetes & Metabolism Faculty

Peter W. Stacpoole, M.D.,
Professor of Medicine
Program Director, General Clinical Research Center (GCRC)

Professional Summary

Dr. Stacpoole received his Ph.D. in 1972, from the University of California at San Francisco. He received his MD degree in 1976, from Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee. He also completed his internship and residency (1976-1978) training in Internal Medicine and Endocrinology Fellowship (1978-1980) training at Vanderbilt University. In 1980, Dr. Stacpoole became a member of the Department of Medicine at the University of Florida where he is currently a Professor of Medicine, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. He is also the Program Director of the General Clinical Research Center at Shands Hospital at the University of Florida and Associate Dean for Clinical Research and Training for the College of Medicine.

Research Activities

Dr. Stacpoole's federally-sponsored research is broadly focused in two areas: intermediary metabolism and new drug development. He conducts patient oriented research on the General Clinical Research Center (GCRC) and collaborates with investigators across N. America into the causes and treatment of genetic mitochondrial diseases, due to nuclear DNA or mitochondrial DNA mutations in genes that encode enzymes of carbohydrate metabolism or oxidative phosphorylation. These studies also engage collaborators with expertise in neurology, neurobehavior, clinical pharmacology, neuroscience and cell and molecular biology.

Related research includes mechanistically oriented laboratory studies on the expression and regulation of genes involved in mitochondrial energy metabolism and on gene transfer to correct inborn errors of mitochondrial enzyme deficiencies.

Dr. Stacpoole collaborates with other faculty at the University of Florida to investigate the regulation of homocystine metabolism in humans in response to different genotypes or nutritional perturbations. With regard to new drug development, Dr. Stacpoole and his colleagues have developed a prototype for a novel class of investigational drugs for the treatment of acquired or inborn errors of mitochondrial energy metabolism and lactic acidosis. The prototype of this class, dichloroacetate (DCA), is undergoing clinical trials on the GCRC in healthy subjects and in children and adults with congenital lactic acidosis. Its sites and mechanisms of action are being further explored by in vitro and in vivo laboratory studies employing cell and molecular techniques and mass spectrometry.

Dr. Stacpoole also directs the GCRC, located at Shands Hospital at the University of Florida. This 9,700 sq ft facility, supported continuously by the National Institutes of Health for nearly 45 years, is essentially a human laboratory in which rigorously controlled investigations may be conducted in children and adults into the causes, treatment and prevention of disease. Research nursing, biostatistical, computer, dietary and laboratory staff assist trainees, including fellows, and faculty in conducting inpatient and outpatient investigations. The GCRC is also used frequently for the diagnosis of complicated endocrinological disorders.

Recent Publications

• Cornett R, James MO, Henderson GN, Cheung J, Shroads AL, Stacpoole PW. Inhibition of glutathione S-transferase .- and tyrosine metabolism by dichloroaceate: a potential unifying mechanism for its altered biotransformation and toxicity, Biochem Biophys Res Commun, 262:752-6, 1999.
• Agbenyega T, Angus BJ, Bedu-Addo G, Baffoe-Bonnie B, Guyton T, Stacpoole PW, Krishna S. Glucose and lactate kinetics in children with severe malaria, J Clin Endo Metab, 85:1569-1576, 2000.
• Gregory JF, Cuskelly GR, Shane B, Toth JP, Baumgartner TG and Stacpoole PW. Primed-constant infusion with [2H3]serine allows in vivo measurement of serine turnover, homocysteine remethylation, and transsulfuration processes in human one-carbon metabolism. Am J Clin Nutr 72:1535-1541, 2000.
• Fishbein L., O'Brien P., Hutson A., Theriaque D., Stacpoole PW and Flotte T. Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamic effects of nicotine nasal spray devices on cardiovascular and pulmonary function. J of Invest Med, 48:445-440, 2000.
• Owen R IV, Lewin AP, Peel A, Wang J, Guy J, Hauswirth WW, Stacpoole PW and Flotte TR. Recombinant adeno-associated virus vector-based gene transfer for defects in oxidative metabolism. Human Gene Therapy 11:2067-2078, 2000.
• Weber TA, Antognetti MR, Stacpoole, PW. Caveats when considering ketogenic diets for the treatment of pyruvate dehydrogenase complex deficiency. J Pediatr 138:390-395, 2001.
• Stacpoole PW, Fisher WF, Flotte TR, Geiser EA, Theriaguq DW, Hutson AD. Teaching hypothesis-oriented thinking to medical students: the University of Florida's clinical investigation program. Acad Med 76:287-292, 2001.
• Stacpoole PW. "Bench-to-bedside"- the false paradigm of patient-oriented investigation. Acad Med (in press) June, 2001.
• Krishna S, Nelamangala VN, Planche T, Agbenyega T, Bedo-Addo G, Ansong D, Owusu-Ofori A, Shroads AL, Henderson GN, Hutson AD, Derendorf H, Stacpoole PW. Population pharmacokinetics of intramuscular quinine in children with severe malaria. AAC (in press), 2001.