C. Michael Armstrong Professor of Genetic Medicine, Founding Director of the Vascular Program, Institute for Cell Engineering, United States
Dr. Semenza received an A.B. in Biology from Harvard College; M.D. and Ph.D. (in Genetics) degrees from the University of Pennsylvania; pediatrics residency training at Duke University; and postdoctoral training in medical genetics at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, where he has spent his entire career. He is the C. Michael Armstrong Professor of Genetic Medicine and founding Director of the Vascular Program in the Institute for Cell Engineering. Dr. Semenza is an elected member of the National Academy of Medicine and National Academy of Sciences. He has received numerous awards including the Albert Lasker Basic Medical Research Award and the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. He has published more than 400 papers that have over 150,000 citations. Dr. Semenza discovered hypoxia-inducible factors (HIFs), which direct transcriptional responses to decreased oxygen availability. His lab has shown that HIFs play important roles in cardiovascular disorders and cancer. HIF stabilizers and HIF inhibitors are currently in clinical trials for treatment of anemia and cancer, respectively.