Whitehead Fellowship

Mr. James Whitehead, Ph.D. is a Founder of Vector Laboratories, Inc. and serves as its President. Dr. Whitehead served as Assistant Director of the Gastrointestinal Research Lab at the VA Hospital in San Francisco and Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Department of Medicine, UCSF. He has been involved in a variety of diverse projects including organ transplantation, kidney function, glycoprotein structure and synthesis, conversion of waste cellulose into fermentable products, artificial sweeteners and currently serves on the Boards of the Bay Area Science Fair and the Northern California Science and Humanities Symposium. Dr. Whitehead serves as Director of Celerus Diagnostics, Inc. Prior to a Postdoctoral position, in Dr. Jonas Salk's Lab at the Salk Institute, Mr. Whitehead received a B.S. degree in Chemistry from Loyola University and attended graduate schools at UCLA and UCR, where he earned a Ph.D. degree in Biochemistry.

Dr. Whitehead is married to Lia McGinness Whitehead, Lone Mountain, 1971. She is retired teacher (SF Archdiocese) and is a member of the Wall Rossi family. She is the daughter of one of the first graduates of SF College for Women, Ilda Gherini McGinness. Lia and her husband adopted a concrete bench on the Lone Mountain steps to honor her mother. She is also the niece of Amy and Olga Rossi (both RSCJ's), a cousin of the Wall family, and was a close friend of Fr. Lo Schiavo. Lia is currently serving on the Lone Mountain Alumnae Board. 

They have also made contributions to UC Riverside, Loyola University, Exploratorium, American Red Cross of Bay Area, Society of St. Vincent de Paul San Mateo, Fresh Start Surgical Gifts, Samaritan House, Second Harvest Food Bank of Santa Clara, and numerous other Bay Area causes.