Gerry M. Herrera, Ph.D. Vice President of Research and Development, Med Associates President, Catamount Research and Development

Gerry grew up in the desert Southwest, in Albuquerque, New Mexico.  He obtained a BS degree in Biology from The University of New Mexico, and has a strong background in integrated whole-animal physiology and pharmacology.  As an undergraduate student, he conducted cardiovascular research examining hypoxia and its effects in the vasculature, generating several publications, including two first-authored manuscripts.  He moved on to graduate school at The University of Vermont to train with one of the world’s leading experts in smooth muscle electrophysiology, Dr. Mark T. Nelson.  During graduate school, Gerry studied regulation of excitation-contraction coupling in urinary bladder smooth muscle using electrophysiology, calcium imaging, force measurements, and molecular biology.  He stayed on for postdoctoral training at Vermont and developed a prototype system for conducting urodynamic measurements in conscious mice.  It was at that time that Gerry began consulting with Med Associates.  With Med Associates, he also helped develop an 8-station myograph system for muscle force measurements that was based upon designs he had been using since his undergraduate days in Albuquerque.  In addition, he helped develop his prototype laboratory animal urodynamic system into the only commercially available turnkey system for measuring bladder function in laboratory animals.  Gerry decided to join Med Associates full time in 2003.  Currently, he is Vice President of Research and Development at Med Associates and is responsible for current projects under development and testing.  He remains active with collaborations, and he has an academic appointment as an Adjunct Assistant Professor in Pharmacology at The University of Vermont.  At UVM, he has served as a scientific member on the IACUC for the past six years.  In addition, Gerry is the President of a new company Catamount Research & Development.  Catamount provides the R&D services and a majority of product support to Med Associates.  In these positions, Gerry promotes the use of basic research in our product development program so that the resulting research systems are well-suited for their intended application.

Gerry is married to Mary Zurn Herrera, daughter of Med Associates Founder Karl Zurn.  Gerry and Mary have been married for nearly six years, and they are the proud parents of four children.  They have three daughters and the latest addition was their first son.  Gerry is an avid fly fisherman and fly tier and enjoys targeting large and smallmouth bass on Lake Champlain.