Education

• Ph.D. 1996, The University of Arizona
• M.S. 1996, The University of Arizona
• B.S. 1992, Central Michigan University

Professional

Started with The University of Memphis - 1998

Honors and Awards

• Willard R. Sparks Eminent Faculty Award, University of Memphis Board of Visitors, 2017
• Distinguished Research Award, University of Memphis Alumni Association, 2011
• Distinguished Research Award, College of Arts and Sciences, The University of Memphis, 2008
• Olin Atkins Professorship, University of Memphis, 2007-2010
• Award for Teaching Excellence, College of Arts and Sciences, The University of Memphis, 2007
• Research Paper Competition Award, University of Memphis Sigma Xi Chapter, 2001
• Early Career Research Award, University of Memphis College of Arts and Sciences, 2000

Research Interests

Research interests in the Parrill group are in the areas broadly described as computational structural biology and rational ligand design. The rapid growth of experimental techniques that probe the three-dimensional structure of biologically important structures such as proteins have provided a wealth of information that can be used to study protein structure and design ligands that will bind to these molecules. Such ligands can be used to gather additional information that is useful for the optimization of drugs and molecules with other important functions. Specific projects related to both computational structural biology and rational ligand design involve studies of the interactions between existing or newly designed ligands with interesting biological targets.

Grants

• Regulation of arterial diameter through specific sensing of endogenous steroids and novel nonsteroidal analogs by BK channel subunits, University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center subcontract from National Institutes of Health grant, $336,667, 3/19-3/23

Graduate Students

• Gregory Szwabowski
• Christy Dyer