Laboratory Manager
Montana State University
Department of Animal & Range Sciences 
406-994-3779
philip.merta@montana.edu

Education

M.S.  Molecular Genetics – 1991, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
B.S.  Biology/Chemistry – 1984, Sam Houston State University, Huntsville, TX

MSU Research and/or Project Area(s)

Joining MSU in June 2014, Phil brings a combination of applied research expertise, project management, and a lifelong interest in agriculture.  His passion for biology began on the family farm, and progressed to genetics research, and eventually drug discovery research at Abbott Labs/AbbVie.  After a long and productive pharma career, Phil seized the opportunity to make a significant contribution to American Agriculture by joining Animal & Range Sciences.  Phil’s primary responsibilities include operating the laboratories and associated facilities, supervising laboratory employees and students, conducting and/or overseeing all analytical procedures, analyzing data, contributing to ongoing research, and promoting a safe working environment.  Additional responsibilities include maintaining inventories of chemicals and supplies, ensuring research equipment is maintained, collecting laboratory fees and managing the associated budget(s), assisting with research projects, and developing\teaching lab procedures and analytical operations to technical staff as well as undergraduate and graduate students.

Recent Publications

  • Epps, S. V., Fiamengo, B., Edmunds, J., Ericsson, A., Frank, K., Friedman, M., George, D., George, J., Goedken, E., Kotecki, B., Martinez, G., Merta, P., Morytko, M., Shekhar, S., Skinner, B., Stewart, K., Voss, J., Wallace, G., Wang, L., Wang, L., and Wishart, N.  2013.  Design and synthesis of tricyclic cores for kinase inhibition.  Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry Letters  23:693–698.
  • Höglund, A., Nilsson, L. M., Muralidharan, S. V., Hasvold, L. A., Merta, P., Rudelius, M., Nikolova, V., Keller, U., and Nilsson, J. A.  2011.  Therapeutic implications for the induced levels of Chk1 in Myc-expressing cancer cells.  Clin. Cancer Res.  15:17(22):7067-79.
  • Metz, J. T., Johnson, E. F., Soni, N. B., Merta, P. J., Kifle, L., and Hajduk, P. J.  2011.  Navigating the kinome.  Nat. Chem. Biol.  7:200-202.
  • Swann, S. L., Brown, S. P., Muchmore, S. W., Patel, H., Merta, P., Locklear, J., and Hajduk, P. J.  2011.  A unified, probabilistic framework for structure- and ligand-based virtual screening.  J. Med. Chem.  54:1223-1232.
  • Swann, S. L., Merta, P. J., Kifle, L., Groebe, D., Sarris, K., Hajduk, P. J., and Sun, C.  2010.  Biochemical and biophysical characterization of unique switch pocket inhibitors of p38a.  Bioorg. Med. Chem. Lett.  20:5787-5792.

MSU Supervisor

Dr. Patrick Hatfield, Interim Department Head