Hugh Rosen, MD, PhD

Chair

Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology

Professor, Department of Molecular & Cellular Biology; Pearson Family Chair

Research Focus

Dr. Rosen, is Professor at Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, California since 2002 and Chair of Molecular and Cellular Biology. He has focused on pursuing his primary interests in the chemical biology of immune regulation by signaling lipids and of receptor therapeutics. Fundamental mechanistic discoveries of the role of S1P receptors in immune trafficking and pathophysiology resulted in new insights immune mediated tissue damage and cytokine storm in both autoimmunity and viral infections. Tools discovered allowed the high-resolution crstallographic structure of the first lipid-binding GPCR. Chemical discovery, in collaboration with Professor Edward Roberts, led to the invention of ozanimod at Scripps Research. Ozanimod is now approved for the treatment of Multiple Sclerosis and Ulcerative Colitis and marketed by Bristol-Myers Squibb as ZEPOSIA^R. Two further Scripps Research compounds from the Rosen & Roberts laboratories are in clinical trials; Navacaprant has started Phase 3 trials for Major Depressive Disorder and NMRA-511 has completed Phase 1 for anxiety disorders.

Education

Awards & Professional Activities

Select Publications

Guerrero, M.; Urbano, M.; Kim, E. K.; Gamo, A. M.; Riley, S.; Abgaryan, L.; Leaf, N.; Van Orden, L. J.; Brown, S. J.; Xie, J. Y.; Porreca, F.; Cameron, Michael D.; Rosen, Hugh; Roberts, Edward Design and synthesis of a novel and selective kappa opioid receptor (KOR) antagonist (BTRX-335140). Journal of Medicinal Chemistry 2019, 62, 1761-1780.
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Teijaro, John R.; Studer, S.; Leaf, N.; Kiosses, W. B.; Nguyen, N.; Matsuki, K.; Negishi, H.; Taniguchi, T.; Oldstone, Michael B.; Rosen, Hugh S1PR1-mediated IFNAR1 degradation modulates plasmacytoid dendritic cell interferon-alpha autoamplification. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 2016, 113, 1351-1356.
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Rosen, Hugh; Rosen, Hugh; Stevens, Raymond C.; Roberts, Edward; Roberts, Edward; Oldstone, Michael B.; Oldstone, Michael B.; Hanson, Michael A. Sphingosine-1-phosphate and its receptors: structure, signaling, and influence. Annual review of biochemistry 2013, 82, 637-62.
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Hanson, Michael A.; Roth, Christopher B.; Jo, E. J.; Griffith, M. T.; Scott, F. L.; Reinhart, G.; Desale, H.; Clemons, B.; Cahalan, Stuart M.; Schuerer, S. C.; Sanna, M. G.; Han, G. W.; Kuhn, Peter A.; Rosen, Hugh; Stevens, Raymond C. Crystal structure of a lipid G protein-coupled receptor. Science 2012, 335, 851-855.
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Cahalan, Stuart M.; Gonzalez-Cabrera, P. J.; Sarkisyan, G.; Nguyen, N.; Schaeffer, M. T.; Huang, L. M.; Yeager, A.; Clemons, B.; Scott, F.; Rosen, Hugh Actions of a picomolar short-acting S1P(1) agonist in S1P(1)-eGFP knock-in mice. Nature Chemical Biology 2011, 7, 254-256.
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Mandala, Suzanne; Hajdu, Richard; Bergstrom, James; Quackenbush, Elizabeth; Xie, Jenny; Milligan, James; Thornton, Rosemary; Shei, Gan- J.; Card, Deborah; Keohane, CarolAnn; Rosenbach, Mark; Hale, Jeffrey; Lynch, Christopher L.; Rupprecht, Kathleen; Parsons, William; Rosen, Hugh Alteration of lymphocyte trafficking by sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor agonists. 2002, 296, 346-9.

Contact

Graduate Program

Research Interests

News

Study shows new drug compounds dial down inflammation without compromising immunity

First-in-class molecules block a specific protein interaction in immune cells, offering a potential targeted approach to autoimmune diseases like lupus and rheumatoid arthritis.

Molecular & Cellular Biology

Podcast

Hugh Rosen: A physician-scientist’s guide to developing medicines

More than 90% of drugs fail to make it from the lab bench to approval. How, then, has a physician-scientist like Hugh Rosen found so much success in developing medicines? Rosen, who’s the chair of the Molecular and Cellular Biology Department and the Pearson Family Chair at Scripps Research, co-invented the drugs ozanimod (approved for multiple sclerosis and ulcerative colitis) and navacaprant (in Phase 3 trials for major depressive disorder). In this episode of Science Changing Life, listen in as Rosen unveils the success stories behind these groundbreaking treatments—shedding light on the challenges and triumphs shaping modern medicine.

Molecular & Cellular Biology Drug Discovery

Video

Bringing precision therapy to mental disorders

Mental disorders like depression and schizophrenia affect the lives of millions of people around the world, and yet, available treatment options have remained the same for decades. In this Front Row lecture, Scripps Research professor Hugh Rosen shared how his pioneering research has led to the development of the drug navacaprant, which precisely targets one of the brain’s behavioral circuits and is currently in clinical testing for major depressive disorder. Harnessing his expertise as a physician-scientist, Rosen has discovered and developed multiple other medicines, including ozanimod—a breakthrough treatment approved for multiple sclerosis and ulcerative colitis.

Molecular & Cellular Biology Drug Discovery Events Front Row Lecture Series Mental Disorders Molecular & Cellular Biology

Video

An engine for new medicines: A century of science changing life

Calibr, a nonprofit research institute founded by Scripps Research President and CEO Pete Schultz, joined Scripps Research in 2018 as its drug discovery division. As a world-class nonprofit “bench to bedside” drug discovery engine, Calibr delivers groundbreaking solutions to unmet medical needs by uniting the creativity of fundamental discovery with highly focused R&D capabilities and expertise.

Calibr-Skaggs Drug Discovery Aging & Healthspan Cancer Centennial Infectious Diseases multiple sclerosis Neurological Disorders

News

Multiple sclerosis drug invented at Scripps Research slows long-term devastating disease progression

Late-breaking data reinforces the effectiveness and safety of ozanimod, invented in the labs of professors Hugh Rosen and Edward Roberts.

Molecular & Cellular Biology Chemistry

News

Major depressive disorder therapy to enter Phase 3 pivotal clinical trials

Navacaprant, a monotherapy discovered at Scripps Research, showed clinically meaningful improvements for people with moderate-to-severe MDD in a recently completed Phase 2 study.

Molecular & Cellular Biology

News

Scripps Research sees strong growth in technology licensing revenues and philanthropic donations

Financial support will fuel fundamental scientific breakthroughs and development of new medicines.

Institute News

News

A new indication of success: FDA approves ozanimod for ulcerative colitis

The novel drug created at Scripps Research has achieved a second FDA approval, this time for ulcerative colitis, as clinical trials continue for Crohn’s disease.

Molecular & Cellular Biology