Brian Herman, PhD
Professor and Chairman
Cellular and Structural Biology
Dr. Brian Herman’s research promises to impact two areas that are of major concern to all people – cancer and aging.
Dr. Herman is studying the process of cell death. His research is centered on how alterations in the cell death process are involved in both cancer and aging.
Thanks to Dr. Herman’s dedication and perseverance, his research has resulted in several major contributions. He discovered a process by which cells are injured when they lose oxygen. This discovery has had major implications for the storage of organs for transplant and treating people who have had heart attacks.
His recent studies on aging have resulted in data that suggest deregulation of certain parts of the cell death pathway may play a role in neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s disease.
Dr. Herman has an outstanding publication record. He has authored 51 book chapters and 148 peer-reviewed publications, many of which have appeared in the top-tier journals such as Nature and the Journal of Biological Chemistry.
Currently the principal investigator of grants totaling more than $8 million, Dr. Herman is the recipient of a prestigious NIH MERIT Award – an honor bestowed on only the top one percent of scientists in the nation.
In addition to his personal research excellence, Dr. Herman has made major contributions to the research environment at the Health Science Center. He has played an important role in the national recognition the aging program has received. He has established a core confocal microscopy facility that is available to all Health Science Center faculty members. As chair of the department of cellular and structural biology and chair of the Executive Research Committee, Dr. Herman has been a driving force for research excellence at the Health Science Center.
A distinguished scientist, researcher and scholar, Dr. Herman has made a significant impact on the Health Science Center and medical research. He is creating new knowledge that could translate into better treatments and better quality of life for people all over the world.
To view a short video tribute to Dr. Brian Herman, visit:
http://realarc.uthscsa.edu:8080/ramgen/hsc/Awards04Lo/Herman.rm
