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Peter S. Kim

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Peter Kim
Born (1958-04-27) April 27, 1958 (age 66)
Alma materCornell University (BA)
Stanford University (PhD)
Known forDiscovering how proteins cause viral membranes to fuse with cells.
AwardsMember of the National Academy of Sciences (1997)[1]
Member of National Academy of Medicine (2000)[2]
Member of the National Academy of Engineering (2016)[3]
Scientific career
InstitutionsMassachusetts Institute of Technology
Merck & Co., Inc.
Stanford University
ThesisCharacterization of protein folding intermediates (1985)
Doctoral advisorRobert L. Baldwin
Websitepeterkimlab.stanford.edu

Peter S. Kim (born April 27, 1958) is an American scientist. He was president of Merck Research Laboratories (MRL) 2003–2013 and is currently Virginia & D.K. Ludwig Professor of Biochemistry at Stanford University, Institute Scholar at Stanford ChEM-H, and Lead Investigator of the Infectious Disease Initiative at the Chan Zuckerberg Biohub.[4][5][6][7]

In 2016, Kim was elected a member of the National Academy of Engineering for leadership in the discovery and development of novel drugs and vaccines used worldwide.

Early life and education

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Kim is of Korean descent. Kim grew up in Ridgewood, New Jersey, the son of a single mother, and his first job was in 1974 at a Roy Rogers restaurant, where he earned money to pay for college.[8] Kim earned his A.B. in chemistry at Cornell University in 1979 where he conducted research with the late George P. Hess.[9] He received his Ph.D. in biochemistry at Stanford University under the guidance of Robert L. ("Buzz") Baldwin.[10]

Career and research

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After his PhD, Kim was appointed by David Baltimore as one of the early Whitehead Fellows at the Whitehead Institute.[11] Later, Kim was a professor of biology at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), a Member of the Whitehead Institute and an investigator at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute.[12]

Kim is known for his studies of coiled coils and for discovering how proteins cause viral membranes to fuse with cells.[13][14][15][16][17] He has a special interest in HIV/AIDS research and designed compounds that stop membrane fusion by HIV, thereby preventing it from infecting cells, and has pioneered efforts to develop an HIV vaccine based on similar principles. Kim also served as a member of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) AIDS Vaccine Research Committee.[12]

Kim joined Merck Research Laboratories (MRL) in 2001 as executive vice president, Research and Development.[18] He was promoted to president in January 2003.[19] In this role Kim oversaw all of Merck's drug and vaccine research and development activities.

During his tenure, Merck gained approval of more than 20 new medicines and vaccines. These include Januvia (the first DPP-4 inhibitor for type 2 diabetes), Gardasil (the first vaccine for prevention of cervical cancer), Isentress (the first HIV integrase inhibitor), Zostavax (the first vaccine for the prevention of shingles in adults), and Rotateq (an oral vaccine for the prevention of rotavirus infection in infants). He also led the biomarker-based development of Keytruda.[20] In 2013, he retired from Merck and was succeeded by Roger Perlmutter.[21][22] He was appointed to the faculty at Stanford University in 2014.[23]

Awards and honors

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Kim is a member of the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Medicine, the National Academy of Engineering, and a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Other honors include:

Board memberships and affiliations

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Elected memberships

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Service

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References

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  1. ^ "Peter Kim". National Academy of Sciences Member Directory.
  2. ^ "Peter Kim". National Academy of Medicine Member Directory.
  3. ^ "Peter Kim". National Academy of Engineering Member Directory.
  4. ^ "MERCK RESEARCH LABS CHIEF PETER KIM TO JOIN STANFORD'S DEPARTMENT OF BIOCHEMISTRY". Stanford Engineering. December 13, 2013. Retrieved January 27, 2014.
  5. ^ "Institute Scholars | ChEM-H". chemh.stanford.edu. Retrieved February 5, 2019.
  6. ^ "CZ Biohub Scientific Leadership – Chan Zuckerberg Biohub". Retrieved February 5, 2019.
  7. ^ University, Stanford (October 26, 2016). "Biochemist Peter Kim leads Chan Zuckerberg Biohub project". Stanford News. Retrieved February 20, 2019.
  8. ^ Kim, Dr Peter S. (March 11, 2001). "MY FIRST JOB; Howdy, Buckaroo, Here's Your Apron". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved February 20, 2019.
  9. ^ "Seminar to honor biophysicist George Hess April 18". Cornell Chronicle. Retrieved February 20, 2019.
  10. ^ "Chemistry Tree – Robert Lesh Baldwin". academictree.org. Retrieved February 20, 2019.
  11. ^ "Whitehead Institute – Fellows Program". wi.mit.edu. Retrieved February 20, 2019.
  12. ^ a b "Peter S. Kim's Profile | Stanford Profiles". profiles.stanford.edu. Retrieved February 20, 2019.
  13. ^ "Kim's Coils | DiscoverMagazine.com". Discover Magazine. Retrieved February 20, 2019.
  14. ^ Leary, Warren E. (May 21, 1993). "A Key to Flu Virus Infection Is Identified". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved February 20, 2019.
  15. ^ Rensberger, Boyce (May 21, 1993). "INFLUENZA'S BURGLARY TOOLS". The Washington Post.
  16. ^ "Scientists Find a Key Weapon Used by H.I.V." archive.nytimes.com. Retrieved February 20, 2019.
  17. ^ "Key HIV Protein Structure Solved". HHMI.org. Retrieved February 20, 2019.
  18. ^ Journal, Gardiner HarrisStaff Reporter of The Wall Street (December 6, 2000). "Merck Names Biologist From MIT As Head of Research Operations". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved February 20, 2019.
  19. ^ "Merck's New Alchemist". Bloomberg. December 16, 2002. Retrieved February 20, 2019.
  20. ^ Shaywitz, David. "The Startling History Behind Merck's New Cancer Blockbuster". Forbes. Retrieved February 20, 2019.
  21. ^ Thomas, Katie (March 7, 2013). "Merck Replaces Its Research Chief". The New York Times. Retrieved November 30, 2013.
  22. ^ "Key Merck official retiring, big shoes to fill". www.bizjournals.com. Retrieved February 20, 2019.
  23. ^ Goldman, Bruce (June 9, 2016). "Merck Research Labs chief Peter Kim to join Biochemistry". Stanford School of Engineering. Archived from the original on October 9, 2018. Retrieved February 20, 2019.
  24. ^ "Recipients | ACS Division of Biological Chemistry Website". www.divbiolchem.org.
  25. ^ "Stanford Medicine Alumni Awards 2018: Peter Kim | ChEM-H". chemh.stanford.edu. Retrieved February 5, 2019.
  26. ^ "Medical Advisory Board". HHMI.org. Retrieved February 5, 2019.
  27. ^ "Ceyer, Kim and Langer are elected to NAS". MIT News. May 7, 1997. Retrieved February 5, 2019.
  28. ^ "Whitehead Institute – News – 2000 – Whitehead Members Peter S. Kim and Robert A. Weinberg Elected to the Institute of Medicine". wi.mit.edu. Retrieved February 5, 2019.
  29. ^ "Professor Peter S. Kim". NAE Website. Retrieved February 5, 2019.
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