Jerry Colca PhD

Jerry Colca is a widely recognised expert in the pathophysiology of insulin resistance and the pharmacological mechanisms of action of insulin-sensitising drugs. He has dedicated his career to studying the endocrine control of metabolism as it relates to diabetes and has been focused on insulin sensitisers from the early days of their discovery.

Jerry started his career in industry at The Upjohn Company, where he studied the mechanism of action of the thiazolidinediones and served as project leader for the selection and early development of pioglitazone hydrochloride (Actos®). Jerry continued his metabolic disease research with the company through its mergers with Pharmacia, Monsanto-Searle and Pfizer. In 2006 Dr. Colca co-founded MSDC, a company focused on the development of compounds to treat metabolic diseases based on the discovery of a novel mitochondrial protein complex that is believed to be the mechanism through which insulin-sensitising drugs achieve effective glucose control.

Jerry received his PhD and M.S. in physiology and biochemistry from the University of Houston and served as a post-doctoral fellow in the department of pathology at Washington University, School of Medicine in St. Louis. Jerry also received his B.S. in biology from the University of Houston.