David H. Harrison

David H. Harrison, PhD, is a Professor and Vice Chair of Pharmaceutical Sciences at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science (RFUMS), with additional affiliations to the School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies and Chicago Medical School. He directs the Academic Success program and the X-Ray Core Facility within the Rosalind Franklin Structural Biology Laboratory. Dr. Harrison earned a Bachelor’s and Master’s in Chemistry, followed by an MPhil and PhD in Molecular Biochemistry and Biophysics from Yale University.

His research integrates structural biology, enzymology, and molecular recognition to study diabetes-related proteins and bacterial enzymes. Key projects include:

• Mechanistic studies of human aldose reductase for diabetes therapeutic design.
• Structural analysis of methylglyoxal synthase and glyoxalase I in bacterial pathways.
• Solvent mapping techniques for protein functional group identification.

His publications (2010–1999) emphasize X-ray crystallography, enzyme mechanisms, and inhibitor design, with recurring themes in diabetes, bacterial metabolism, and allosteric regulation. Trends highlight atomic-level protein function analysis and cross-disciplinary collaborations.

Awards & Grants:

• Juvenile Diabetes Postdoctoral Fellowship at Brandeis University.
• Funding from NIH, NSF, and private foundations.

Academic Service: He mentors graduate/professional students, oversees the Structural Biology Lab, and participates in university committees and community outreach.