Camilo Rojas
CAMILO ROJAS, Ph.D.

1204 Roundhill Road, Baltimore, Maryland 21218
(443) 801-0592 (c)
(410) 662-7435 (h)
BIOCHEMIST
Drug Discovery … Management
PROFILE
Research scientist with a proven ability to bring projects forward. Skilled in biology and chemistry
with a thorough understanding of experimental procedures. Co-author of scientific articles with
strong teaching skills. Three years experience as postdoctoral fellow in academic laboratories and
over fifteen years experience in the pharmaceutical industry.
EXPERTISE

Manager of biochemistry laboratory responsible for assay development, primary screens,
mechanistic studies at the cell and molecular levels and pharmacodynamic marker assay
development. Over fifteen years supervisory experience.

Project leader for preclinical pharmaceutical discovery projects. Coordinated
interdepartmental efforts and chaired progress meetings. Coordinated projects through
target proposal, assay development, high throughput screening, lead nomination and lead
optimization.

Extensive experience in oral presentations, writing research grant proposals that achieved
funding and writing scientific reports and publications.

Kinetic studies of numerous enzymes which include flavoproteins, lipases, cholesteryl
ester hydrolase, lipoxygenase, dehyrocholesterol reductase, serine racemase, glutamate
carboxypeptidase II, dipepitdyl peptidase IV, and cyclophilin.

Receptor pharmacology including mode of binding, functional assays, receptor
internalization and receptor crosstalk to elucidate mechanism of action.

Research mentor to undergraduate pharmacology students and student interns. Teaching
assistant and laboratory instructor of general chemistry and biochemistry. Tutor in organic
chemistry.
Camilo Rojas
PROFESSIONAL HISTORY
2009 to present
JOHNS HOPKINS BRAIN SCIENCE INSTITUTE (Baltimore, Maryland)
Director, Assay Development
2000 to 2009
EISAI (MGI) (GUILFORD PHARMACEUTICALS) (Baltimore, Maryland)
Director, Biochemistry & Research Fellow
Associate Director – Biochemistry
Principal Scientist I
Senior Scientist II
Senior Scientist I
1991 to 2000
2009 - present
2007 - 2009
2005 - 2007
2005
2003 - 2005
2000 - 2003
AVENTIS (RHÔNE POULENC RORER) (Collegeville, Pennsylvania)
Senior Research Fellow
Research Fellow
Associate Research Fellow
Senior Research Scientist
Research Scientist
1989 to 1991
THE MEDICAL COLLEGE OF PENNSYLVANIA
Postdoctoral Fellow
1988 to 1989
THE UNIVERSITY OF UMEÅ (Sweden)
Visiting Scientist
1982 to 1988
THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MILWAUKEE
Research Assistant
1999 to 2000
1997 to 1999
1996 to 1997
1993 to 1996
1991 to 1993
EDUCATION
Ph.D. in Chemistry, THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MILWAUKEE
Master of Science in Chemistry, SAINT JOSEPH COLLEGE (Connecticut)
Bachelor of Arts in Chemistry, CENTRAL CONNECTICUT STATE UNIVERSITY
Camilo Rojas
PUBLICATIONS
Alt J, Rojas C, Wozniak K, Wu Y, Ferraris D, Tsukamoto T, Slusher B (2011) Development of a
high throughput method for the determination of pharmacological levels of plasma D-serine
Analytical Biochemistry 419: 106-109
Rojas C, Stathis M, Polydefkis M, Rudek MA, Zhao M, Ebenezer GJ, Slusher BS (2011)
Glutamate carboxypeptidase activity in human skin biopsies as pharmacodynamic marker for
clinical studies. Journal of Translational Medicine, 9:27-33
Rojas C, Li Y, Zhang J, Stathis M, Alt J, Thomas AG, Cantoreggi S, Sebastiani S, Pietra C,
Slusher BS (2010) The Antiemetic 5-HT3 Receptor Antagonist Palonosetron Inhibits Substance-P
Mediated Responses In Vitro and In Vivo, The Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental
Therapeutics, 335:362-368
Thomas AG, Rojas C, Hill JR, Shaw M, Slusher BS (2010) Bioanalysis of NAAG as a
Marker of GCP II Inhibition, Analytical Biochemistry, 404:94-96
Rojas C, Thomas AG, Alt J, Stathis M, Zhang J, Rubenstein EB, Sebastiani S, Cantoreggi S,
Slusher B (2010) Palonosetron triggers receptor internalization and causes prolonged inhibition of
function. European Journal of Pharmacology, 626:193-199
Rojas C, Stathis M, Thomas AG, Massuda E, Alt J, Zhang J, Rubenstein E, Sebastiani S,
Cantoreggi S, Snyder SH, Slusher B (2008) Palonosetron exhibits unique molecular interactions
with the 5-HT3 receptor. Anesthesia and Analgesia, 107(2):469-478
Ferraris D, Duvall B, Ko YS, Thomas AG, Rojas C, Majer P, Hashimoto K, Tsukamoto T (2008)
"Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of D-Amino Acid Oxidase Inhibitors" J Med Chem 51 (12)
3357-9
Rubenstein EB, Slusher BS, Rojas C, Navari RM (2006) New Approaches to ChemotherapyInduced Nausea and Vomiting: From Neuropharmacology to Clinical Investigations. The Cancer
Journal, 12(5):341-7
Lautar SL, Rojas C, Slusher BS, Wozniak KM, Wu Y, Thomas AG, Waldon D, Li W, Ferraris D,
Belyakov S (2005) DPP IV inhibitor blocks mescaline-induced scratching and amphetamineinduced hyperactivity in mice. Brain Research 1048 (1 – 2): 177-84.
Ferraris D, Ko YS, Calvin D, Chiou T, Lautar S, Thomas B, Wozniak K, Rojas C, Kalish V,
Belyakov S (2004) Ketopyrrolidines and ketoazetidines as potent dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPP IV)
inhibitors. Bioorg Med Chem Lett 14(22): 5579-83
Berent-Spillson A, Robinson AM, Golovoy D, Slusher B, Rojas C, Russell JW (2004) Protection
against glucose-induced neuronal death by NAAG and GCPII inhibition is regulated by mGluR3. J
Neurochem. 89 (1) 90 – 99.
Ghadge GD, Slusher BS, Bodner A, Canto MD, Wozniak K, Thomas AG, Rojas C, Tsukamoto T,
Majer P, Miller RJ, Monti AL, Roos RP (2003) Glutamate Carboxypeptidase II Inhibition protects
motor neurons from death in familial amyotropic lateral sclerosis models. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA
100 (16) 9554 - 9559
Camilo Rojas
Stoermer D, Liu Q, Hall MR, Flanary JM, Thomas AG, Rojas C, Slusher BS, Tsukamoto T (2003)
Synthesis and biological evaluation of hydroxamate–based inhibitors of glutamate
carboxypeptidase II. Bioorg Med Chem Lett. 13 (13) 2097 – 2100
Majer P, Jackson PF, Delahanty G, Grella BS, Ko YS, Li W, Liu Q, Maclin KM, Polakova J,
Shaffer KA, Stoermer D, Vitharana D, Wang EY, Zakrzewski A, Rojas C, Slusher BS Wozniak
KM, Burak E, Limsakun T, Tsukamoto T (2003) Synthesis and biological evaluation of thiol-based
inhibitors of glutamate carboxypeptidase II: discovery of an orally active GCPII inhibitor. J Med
Chem. 46 (10) 1989 - 1996
Rojas C, Thomas AG, Majer P, Tsukamoto T, Lu XM, Vornov JJ, Wozniak KM, Slusher BS
(2003) Glutamate Carboxypeptidase II Inhibition as a Novel Therapeutic Target. In Dipeptidyl
Aminopeptidases in Health and Disease. Hildebrandt M, Klapp B, Hoffmann T, Demuth H-U
(Editors). Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology, Kluwer Academic /Plenum Publishers,
New York, 524, 205 – 213
Strísovsky K, Jirásková J, Barinka C, Majer P, Rojas C, Slusher BS, Konvalinka J (2003). Mouse
brain serine racemase catalyzes specific elimination of L-serine to pyruvate. FEBS Letters 535, 44
- 48.
Rojas C, Frazier ST, Flanary J, Slusher BS (2002). Kinetics and inhibition of glutamate
Carboxypeptidase II (NAALADase) using a new in vitro 96-well plate assay. Analytical
Biochemistry 310, 50 – 54.
Tsukamoto T, Flanary JM, Rojas C, Slusher BS, Valiaeva N, Coward JK (2002). Phosphonate
and phosphinate analogues of N-acetylated -glutamylglutamate: potent inhibitors of glutamate
carboxypeptidase II. Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry Letters 12, 2189 - 2192.
Barinka C, Rinnová M, Sácha P, Rojas C, Majer P, Slusher BS, Konvalinka J (2002). Substrate
specificity, inhibition and enzymological analysis of recombinant human glutamate
carboxypeptidase II. J. Neurochem. 80, 477 –487.
Tiffany CW, Cai NS, Rojas C, Slusher BS (2001). Binding of the Glutamate Carboxypeptidase II
(NAALADase) inhibitor 2-PMPA to rat brain membranes. Eur. J. Pharm. 427:91-96.
Hamel L, Kenney M, Clark K, Merkel L, Rojas C (2000). Preconditioning of Human Smooth
Muscle Cells via 12 Prostaglandin J2 Protects Against Toxic Effects of Oxidized Low Density
Lipoprotein. Biochem. Biophys. Res. Comm. 269: 327 – 330.
Hamel L, Kenney M, Jayyosi Z, Ardati A, Clark K, Spada A, Zilberstein A, Perrone M, Kaplow J,
Merkel L, Rojas C (2000). Induction of heat shock protein 70 by herbimycin A and cyclopentenone
prostaglandins in smooth muscle cells. Cell Stress & Chaperones 5 (2), 121 – 131.
Merkel L, Rojas C, Jarvis MF, Cox BF, Fink C, Smits GJ, Spada AP, Perrone MH (1998).
Pharmacological Characterization of AMP 579, a Novel Adenosine A1/A2 Receptor Agonist and
Cardioprotective. Drug Development Research 45:30-43.
Harrison EH, Rojas C, Kempner ES (1997). Size of the catalytically active unit of rat hepatic
carboxylester lipase in the presence and absence of bile salt. Biochim. Biophys. Acta 1347: 177182.
Bilder GE, Rojas C (1996). Inhibitors of the Platelet-derived Growth Factor Receptor Tyrosine
Kinase. Cardiovascular Drug Reviews, 14: 380-399
Lewis D, Galczenski H, Needle S, Tang S-Y, Amin D, Gleason M, Bilder G, Perrone M, Merkel L,
Camilo Rojas
Rojas C (1995). Enzyme Inhibition During the Conversion of Squalene to Cholesterol. Steroids
60: 475-483.
Gleason MM, Rojas C, Learn KS, Perrone M, Bilder G (1995). Characterization and inhibition of
15-lipoxygenase in human monocytes: Comparison with soybean 15-lipoxygenase. American
Journal of Physiology (Cell Physiology 37): C1301-C1307.
Rojas C, Harrison EH (1994). Bile Salt-Dependent and Bile Salt-Independent Cholesteryl Ester
Hydrolase Activities in Rat Liver Cytosol. Proceedings of the Society for Experimental Biology and
Medicine 206: 60-68.
Harrison EH, Rojas C, Gad MZ, Kempner ES (1993). Analysis of Microsomal Cholesteryl Ester
Hydrolases by Radiation Inactivation. The Journal of Biological Chemistry 268: 17867-17870.
Rojas C, Olivecrona T, Bengtsson-Olivecrona G (1991). Comparison of the action of lipoprotein
lipase on triacylglycerols and phospholipids when presented in mixed liposomes or in emulsion
droplets. European Journal of Biochemistry 197: 315-321.
Rojas C, Enerbäck S, Bengtsson-Olivecrona G (1990). Synthesis and secretion of active
lipoprotein lipase in Chinese-hamster ovary (CHO) cells. Biochemical Journal 271: 11-15.
Olivecrona T, Bengtsson-Olivecrona G, Rojas C, Deckelbaum R (1990) Lipase substrate
selection. In: Carlson LA (ed), Disorders of HDL. Smith-Gordon, London, pp. 7-11.
Rojas C, Wang H-H, Lively CR, Gustafson WG, Schulz, LO, McFarland JT (1989). Spectral
Observation of an Acyl-Enzyme Intermediate of Lipoprotein Lipase. Biochemistry, 28: 4475-4481.
McFarland JT, Rojas C (1986). 1,2-Dipalmitoyl-3--2-furylacryloyltriacylglycerol: a chromophoric
substrate for lipoprotein lipase (1986). Biochimica et Biophysica Acta 876: 438-449.
Rojas C, Schmidt J, Lee M-Y, Gustafson WG, McFarland JT (1985). Structure-Function
Correlation of Fatty Acyl CoA Dehydrogenase and Fatty Acyl-CoA Oxidase. Biochemistry 24:
2947-2954.
Rojas C, Gustafson W, Schmidt J, Domanski D, Feinberg BA, McFarland JT (1984). StructureFunction Correlation in -Oxidation Enzymes. In: Bray RC, Engel PC, Mayhew SG (eds), Flavins
and Flavoproteins. Walter de Gruyter & Co. New York, pp. 451-454.
Reinsch J. Rojas C, McFarland JT (1983). Kinetic Methods for the Study of the Enzyme Systems
of -Oxidation. Archives of Biochemistry and Biophysics 227: 21-30.
Bochain A, Estey L, Haronian G, Reale M, Rojas C, Cramer J (1981). Determination of
Catecholamine Permeability Coefficients for Passive Diffusion Across Phospholipid Vesicle
Membranes. Journal of Membrane Biology 60: 73-76.