James H. McKerrow

Papers

Total Citations

296

H-Index

About

James H. McKerrow is a pioneering figure in parasitology and drug discovery, whose research has fundamentally advanced our understanding of parasitic diseases and their treatment. His work centers on the role of cysteine proteases—enzymes critical to the pathogenesis of parasites like schistosomes, trypanosomes, and leishmania—and their exploitation as drug targets. McKerrow’s landmark 2009 study on vinyl sulfones as antiparasitic agents, cited over 296 times, provided a structural basis for designing inhibitors that block these virulence factors, laying the groundwork for novel therapeutics. His contributions extend to elucidating how proteases drive tissue invasion and immune evasion in parasitic infections, with his research accumulating thousands of citations across his career. Notably, McKerrow’s work has bridged basic enzymology and translational medicine, influencing the development of drugs such as K777, a cysteine protease inhibitor tested against Chagas disease. As a former director of the Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases at UCSF, he has mentored generations of scientists, leaving an indelible mark on global health. For students and researchers, McKerrow exemplifies how structural biology and chemical biology can converge to combat neglected tropical diseases.