Dr. James Mckerrow

Professor

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Biography

Dr. McKerrow leads a consortium of academic and industry scientists dedicated to the discovery and development of new drugs for neglected tropical diseases (NTDs). This consortium focuses on drug discovery and development for Phase clinical trials. The center pioneered the development of high-throughput screening assays for ten neglected diseases, ranging from single-cell protozoa like Trypanosoma brucei and Trypanosoma cruzi to complex multicellular helminths (worms) like Schistosoma and Brugia. Over 30 companies have shared their compound libraries with the center, which encompasses expertise in structure-based drug design. This includes computational approaches and structure-guided medicinal chemistry, as well as maintaining animal models for proof-of-concept studies related to NTDs. Notable achievements include discovering and developing a drug for Chagas’ disease that successfully passed a pre-IND meeting with the FDA and receiving Orphan-Drug Designation for drugs targeting NTDs through a repurposing screening campaign. Additionally, an anti-parasitic drug was successfully repurposed to treat SARS-CoV-2 in non-human primates.

Research Interests

Experience

Distinguished Professor

2014-01-01 — 2022-01-01

Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences • La Jolla, CA

Led research on drug discovery and development for neglected tropical diseases.

Vice Chair, Research Education

2003-01-01 — 2012-01-01

UCSF • San Francisco, CA

Oversaw and developed research education programs.

Director, Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program

2002-01-01 — 2005-01-01

UCSF • San Francisco, CA

Directed the graduate program in biomedical sciences.

Dean

2014-01-01 — 2022-01-01

Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences • La Jolla, CA

Managed academic and administrative affairs of the school.

Awards

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Certificate of Recognition Faculty Diversity

2007-01-01
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President's Symposium Speaker

2007-01-01
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Essential Core Teaching Award

2009-01-01
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Gregor Mendel Honorary Medal

2009-01-01
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Scientific Lifetime Achievement Award

2018-01-01

Requirements for University of California, San Diego

Doctorate Program
Requirements
GPA Requirement
Required:3
TOEFL
Total
Required:85
IELTS
Overall
Required:7
Duolingo
Overall Score
Required:120
Overall
Required:120
Prerequisites
Bachelor's degree in physical, biological, or earth sciences, mathematics, or engineering. Differential and integral calculus. One year of calculus-based physics with laboratory. One year of chemistry with laboratory.
Application Checklist
  • Statement of Purpose (max 2 pages)
  • Unofficial transcripts
  • Three letters of recommendation
  • Curriculum Vitae (CV)
  • Application fee ($135 domestic / $155 international)
Specialization Notes

Administered by the Scripps Institution of Oceanography. Curricular groups include Climate-Ocean-Atmosphere (COAP), Geosciences (GEO), and Ocean Biosciences (OBP).