James Thacker Ph.D

James Thacker Ph.D General Information

Biography

Dr. James Thacker Founded and served as Chief Science Officer and President at TherimuneX. He holds a Professorship at the Institute for Hepatitis and Virus Research. He also holds a joint appointment as an Adjunct Professor of Microbiology and Immunology at Drexel University College of Medicine. His research in the host response to cell injury has led the discovery of a host derived regulator of the innate immune response and is the enabling technology for TherimuneX Pharmaceuticals. Through his scientific career Dr. Thacker has served in academia and managed contract research laboratories in the environmental and pharmaceutical services industries. His first venture, Thaco Research, was a CRO where he developed a quantitative immunoassay for Rhom and Haas that was used to conduct environmental fate studies for a new product. This assay was patented and received the first "Green Technology Award" from the U.S. EPA. This technology was successfully utilized by Sanofi Animal Health and Bayer. His second venture, GeneBact Biotechnologies, developed "V Strip 2" for the rapid cow-side diagnosis of sub-clinical mastitis. This product was based upon Dr. Thacker's patented technology for the rapid detection of viable bacteria in biological fluids. A derivative of V Strip 2 ("PortaChek") is currently being marketed in Europe by Porta Science for the rapid detection of urinary tract infections in humans. Dr. Thacker holds six U.S. Patents and currently has four patents pending. He is the recipient of two Research Fellowships and was the 2003 recipient of the Thomas A. Edison Emerging Technology Award.