james-herron

James Herron, Ph.D.

Academic Information

Departments Executive Associate Dean, Professional Education - College of Pharmacy , Associate Professor - Pharmaceutics & Pharmaceutical Chemistry

Academic Office Information

james.herron@utah.edu

801-581-7303

Research Interests

  • Vaccines
  • Therapeutic Applications of Monoclonal Antibodies
  • Targeted Drug Delivery Systems
  • Molecular Immunology and Structure
  • High-Throughput Screening
  • Function and Dynamics of Antigen-Antibody Interactions
  • Diagnostics Assays
  • Biosensors

Dr. Herron is interested in translational research – specifically, translating innovative near-patient diagnostics technologies from the laboratory into the clinic. Presently, his research is focused in three areas:

  1. Optical biosensor applications in biodefense, diagnostics, companion diagnostics, environmental and food testing, and personalized medicine;

  2. High-throughput homogeneous fluorescence assays for use in biodefense, diagnostics, and quality control and assurance; and

  3. Dynamic light scattering as a means of detecting intravenous (IV) drug incompatibilities, when co-administered through the same IV line. He has published 113 full-length research articles and 107 abstracts.

He also edited a book entitled “Physical Methods to Characterize Pharmaceutical Proteins.”

Dr. Herron has 32 US and 41 foreign patents and has co-founded three different point-of-care diagnostics companies to commercialize biosensor technology developed in his laboratory. He has also consulted for 3M Corporation, Abbott Laboratories, AgriAnalysis, ARUP Laboratories, Echelon Biosciences, Johnson & Johnson, Kansas Technology Enterprise Corporation, and mBio Diagnostics. He also chaired the translational development subcommittee of the Rocky Mountain Regional Center of Excellence in Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Disease (RMRCE), a NIH-sponsored center that supports basic and translational research in biodefense and infectious disease, with focus on developing countermeasures for both

Education History

Undergraduate University of Illinois Urban-Champaign
 BS, Biology
Graduate Training University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
 MS, Microbiology
University of Illinois Urban-Champaign
 PhD, Microbiology

Selected Publications

Patent

    1. Wei AP, Herron JN (2003). Compositions and Kits for Fluorescence Polarization Assay of Large Molecules. U.S. Patent No. 6,632,613 B1. Washington, D.C.:U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
    2. Wei AP, Herron JN (2003). Assay Procedure Using Fluorogenic Tracers. U.S. Patent No. 6,576,419 B1. Washington, D.C.:U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
    3. Wei AP, Herron JN (2002). Immunoassay Procedure Utilizing Fluorogenic Tracer Antigens. U.S. Patent No. 6,482,655. Washington, D.C.:U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
    4. Herron JN, Christensen DA, Wang HK, Caldwell KD, Janatova V, Huang SC (2002). Apparatus and Methods for MultiAnalyte Homogeneous Fluoroimmunoassays. U.S. Patent No. 749504. Washington, D.C.:U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
    5. Herron JN, Christensen DA, Pollak VA, McEachern RD, Simon EM (2002). Lens and Associatable Flow Cell. U.S. Patent No. 6,356,676. Washington, D.C.:U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
    6. Reichert WM, Herron JN, Christensen DA, Wang HK (2002). Integrated Optic Waveguide Immunosensor. U.S. Patent No. 6,350,413. Washington, D.C.:U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
    7. Herron JN, Christensen DA, Caldwell KD, Janatova V, Huang SC, Wang HK (2002). Apparatus for Multichannel Fluorescent Immunoassays. U.S. Patent No. 6,340,598. Washington, D.C.:U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
    8. Herron JN, Christensen DA, Wang HK, Caldwell K, Janatova, Huang SC (2001). Apparatus and Methods for Multi-Analyte Homogeneous Fluoro-Immunoassays. U.S. Patent No. 6,316,274. Washington, D.C.:U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
    9. Herron JN, Christensen DA (2001). System for Determining Analyte Concentration. U.S. Patent No. 6,287,871 B1. Washington, D.C.:U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
    10. Herron JN, Christensen DA, Miles SD (2001). Oscillation Apparatus and Methods for Multi-Analyte Homogeneous Fluoro-Immunoassays. U.S. Patent No. 6,242,267. Washington, D.C.:U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
    11. Herron JN, Christensen DA, Durtschi JD (2001). Diagnostic Device and Method. U.S. Patent No. 6,222,619. Washington, D.C.:U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
    12. Herron JN, Christensen DA, Pollak VA, McEachern RD, Simon EM (2000). Lens and Associatable Flow Cell. U.S. Patent No. 6,108,463. Washington, D.C.:U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
    13. Christensen DA, Herron JN, Simon EM (2000). Waveguide Lens. U.S. Patent No. D426,783. Washington, D.C.:U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
    14. Reichert WM, Herron JN, Christensen DA, Wang HK (1999). Integrated Optic Waveguide Immunosensor. U.S. Patent No. 5,961,924. Washington, D.C.:U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
    15. Herron JN, Christensen DA, Wang HK, Caldwell KD, Janatova V, Huang SC (1999). Apparatus and Methods for Multi-Analyte Homogeneous Fluoro-Immunoassays. U.S. Patent No. 5,919,712. Washington, D.C.:U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
    16. Herron JN, Christensen DA, Caldwell KD, Janatova V, Huang SC, Wang HK (1998). Waveguide Immunosensor with Coating Chemistry and Providing Enhanced Sensitivity. U.S. Patent No. 5,846,842. Washington, D.C.:U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
    17. Reichert WM, Herron JN, Christensen DA, Wang HK (1998). Composite Waveguide for Solid Phase Binding Assays. U.S. Patent No. 5,832,165. Washington, D.C.:U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
    18. Reichert WM, Herron JN, Christensen DA, Wang HK (1998). Integrated Optic Waveguide Immunosensor. U.S. Patent No. 5,814,565. Washington, D.C.:U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
    19. Herron JN, Christensen DA, Wang HK, Caldwell KD, Janatova V, Huang SC (1997). Apparatus and Methods for Multi-Analyte Homogeneous Fluoroimmunoassays. U.S. Patent No. 5,677,196. Washington, D.C.:U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
    20. Herron JN, Christensen DA, Caldwell KD, Wang HC, Huang SC, Janatova V (1996). Waveguide Immunosensor with Coating Chemistry Providing Enhanced Sensitivity. U.S. Patent No. 5,512,492. Washington, D.C.:U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
    21. Herron JN (1995). Compounds Having the Antigenicity of hCG. U.S. Patent No. 5,380,668. Washington, D.C.:U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
    22. Herron JN, Wei AP (1993). Method of Determining Extinction Coefficient of Fluorescent Dye and Protein Concentration of Dye-Protein Conjugate. U.S. Patent No. 5,245,551. Washington, D.C.:U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
    23. Herron JN, Wei AP (1993). Method of Determining Energy Transfer Efficiency of A Donor-Acceptor Pair of Fluorescent Dyes. U.S. Patent No. 5,237,515. Washington, D.C.:U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
    24. Andrade JD, Herron JN (1992). Optical Regulation of Ligand-Receptor Binding. U.S. Patent No. 5,135,876. Washington, D.C.:U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.