Vsevolod Katritch

Vsevolod Katritch is a Professor of Quantitative and Computational Biology, Chemistry, and Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences at the University of Southern California's Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences. His research focuses on computational approaches to understanding G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) and structure-based drug discovery. He leads a productive research group that has made significant contributions to the field of GPCR structural biology and computational pharmacology.

Dr. Katritch's research interests center on the development and application of computational tools to study key biological phenomena, with particular focus on membrane proteins and the superfamily of G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs), which are targeted by more than 30% of clinical drugs. His work spans molecular modeling, structural bioinformatics, integrative structural biology, and structure-based drug discovery. Current research directions include deciphering molecular basis of GPCR interactions, structure-based discovery of novel ligands, and integrative structural biology combining computational approaches with experimental data.

His group has published extensively in top-tier journals including Nature, Cell, and Science, with recent work focusing on opioid receptors, angiotensin receptors, and computational methodologies for drug discovery. The lab has developed innovative approaches such as V-SYNTHES for virtual screening of ultra-large chemical libraries. Dr. Katritch was promoted to full professor in November 2023 and has received significant recognition including being named a Highly Cited Researcher by Clarivate Analytics in both Biology & Biochemistry and Pharmacology & Toxicology categories.

Dr. Katritch's laboratory has been supported by multiple NIH grants including a recent Maximizing Investigators' Research Award (MIRA) from NIGMS. His research has important implications for pain management, addiction treatment, and cardiovascular disorders. The group maintains strong collaborations with structural biologists, medicinal chemists, and pharmacologists across multiple institutions.

Notable members of his research team include postdoctoral scholars Anastasiia Sadybekov, Saheem Zaidi, and Jordy Lam, who have made significant contributions to the lab's publications and discoveries. The lab has been recognized for its innovative work, with members receiving awards including the Michael S. Waterman Award in Quantitative and Computational Biology.