Faculty & Research
Faculty
Keck Graduate Institute brings together faculty with expertise in bioengineering, computational biology, applied molecular and cellular biology and bioscience business under one administration, with no departmental boundaries. Facilitated by KGI’s unique organizational structure and small, intimate community, faculty are able to engage in interdisciplinary, collaborative research projects and novel teaching approaches much more effectively than would be possible in a larger, more traditionally structured institution.
Dedicated to this new model of graduate education and interdisciplinary, translational research, many faculty have come to KGI from well-established academic positions and successful biotechnology companies, combining academic credentials with a keen awareness of the industry's latest developments to bring new ideas and innovation into their classrooms and labs. KGI has strong ties with the biotechnology and medical device industry. Most KGI faculty have worked in industry at some point in their career; many have been or are involved in startup companies.
Research
According to our mission, Keck Graduate Institute of Applied Life Sciences is dedicated to education and research aimed at translating into practice, for the benefit of society, the power and potential of the life sciences.
What makes research at KGI unique?Research at the Interface: Interdisciplinary, Applied, Translational
Research pursued at Keck Graduate Institute covers the spectrum from fundamental to applied. Fundamental studies are geared towards gaining knowledge relevant towards an applied problem, such as understanding the molecular basis of a rare disease in order to devise better diagnostics and therapeutics. Applied, translational research in collaboration with or funded by industry often focuses on the development of a specific product, such as a recombinant protein or medical device. KGI also serves as a think tank, and KGI faculty conduct research to better understand the dynamics within the biotech or pharmaceutical industry, or policy implications of government incentives such as the orphan drug act.