James (Jim) D. Fikes, DVM, PhD, DACVP, DABVT

Dr. Fikes has been engaged in biopharmaceutical research and development for more than 30 years.

Dr. Fikes received his BS degree in Agricultural Economics and his DVM from Oklahoma State University and completed a Residency in Veterinary Toxicology and an MS Degree in Toxicology at the University of Illinois (Champaign-Urbana).  He followed that by completing a PhD in Pathology and Environmental Toxicology at Michigan State University.  Then he completed post-doctoral (residency) training in Comparative Medicine at Wake Forest University’s Bowman Gray School of Medicine.  Dr. Fikes is a Diplomat of the American Board of Veterinary Toxicology and the American College of Veterinary Pathologists.

Before joining EPL, Dr. Fikes held positions of increasing responsibility in biopharmaceutical research and development, serving as a project pathologist and manager with Pathology Associates Inc., Hoffmann-La Roche, Human Genome Sciences, AstraZeneca, and Biogen.  He has been a member of, and led, numerous toxicologic pathology and toxicology professional society efforts and cross-pharma initiatives and was President of the Society of Toxicologic Pathology (STP) from 2017-18.

In addition to his broad experience in the development of small molecule, antisense oligonucleotide, gene therapy, and antibody therapeutics, Dr. Fikes was the author, co-author, or senior author on more than 40 peer-reviewed book chapters and journal publications including in Toxicologic Pathology, Toxicological Sciences, Journal of Clinical Investigation, and Science.

Expertise and Interests

• Toxicologic Pathology
• Pathology Consultation
• Pathology Peer Review
• Pathology Working Groups
• Due Diligence Assessment of Therapeutic Assets and Biopharma Companies
• Nonclinical Safety and Pathology Leadership Experience within Corporate Portfolio Governance and Multidisciplinary Matrixed Organizations
• Scientific and Pharmaceutical Development Strategy