Steve A. Kay

Profile

1981 B.Sc.; University of Bristol, UK (Biochemistry)

1984 Ph.D.; University of Bristol, UK (Biochemistry)

1985-1989 Postdoctoral Fellow; The Rockefeller University, USA

1989-1991 Assistant Professor; The Rockefeller University, USA

1992-1995 Assistant Professor; University of Virginia, USA

1995-1996 Associate Professor (tenured); University of Virginia, USA,
Associate Professor; University of Virginia Medical School, USA

1996-1998 Associate Professor; The Scripps Research Institute, USA

1999-2004 Director; Discovery Research, Genomics Institute of the Novartis Research Foundation, USA

2002-2003 Founder; Chief Technology Officer and Senior Vice President, Phenomix Corporation, USA

2000-present Adjunct Professor; University of California, San Diego, USA

2001-2007 Director; Institute for Childhood and Neglected Diseases, The Scripps Research Institute, USA

1998-2007 Professor; The Scripps Research Institute, USA

2004-2007 Chairman; Scripps Florida Steering Committee, USA

2005-2007 Chairman; The Scripps Research Institute, USA

2007-2012 Professor; University of California, San Diego, USA

2007-2012 Richard C. Atkinson Chair in the Biological Sciences; USA

2007-2012 Dean; Division of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, USA

2009-present Adjunct Professor; Salk Institute for Biological Studies, USA

2012-present Professor; University of Southern California, USA

2012-2015 Dean; Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, University of Southern California, USA

2014-present Overseas Principal Investigator; WPI-ITbM, Nagoya University

2015-2016 President; The Scripps Research Institute, USA

2006-present Provost Professor of Neurology, Biomedical Engineering and Biological Sciences,
Director of Convergent Bioscience; University of Southern California, USA

Steve A. Kay University of Southern California, USA
Website dean::dornsife.usc.edu

Biological clock, systems biology

By using the resources of clock modifying compounds and genes in combination with state-of-the-art technologies at ITbM, the Kay-Hirota group aims to discover "transformative bio-molecules" that will revolutionize clock research and ultimately benefit human health. A unique combination of molecular, genetic, genomic, biochemical, and chemical biology approaches will allow us to reveal key regulatory processes of the circadian clock and define molecular links between the clock and rhythmic regulation of physiology and behavior. Proof-of-concept chemical probes will provide useful tools to control clock function in a conditional manner and also act as starting points for developing therapeutics for circadian clock-related disorders.

Research Highlights

Selected Awards and Honors

2018	Clarivate Analytics Highly Cited Researcher
2017	Clarivate Analytics Highly Cited Researcher
2015	Thomson Reuters "Most Influential Scientific Minds"
2014	Thomson Reuters Highly Cited Researcher
2014	Honorary D.Sc. degree, University of Bristol, UK
2011	Martin Gibbs Medal, American Society of Plant Biology
2010	UCSD Chancellor's Associates Faculty Award for Excellence in Research
2009	Elected Fellow, American Association for the Advancement of Sciences (AAAS)

Selected Publications

St. John, P. C.; Hirota, T.; Kay, S. A.; Doyle, F. J. 3rd. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 2014, 111, 2040. Spatiotemporal separation of PER and CRY posttranslational regulation in the mammalian circadian clock. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1323618111
Hirota, T.; Lee, J. W.; St. John, P. C.; Sawa, M.; Iwaisako, K.; Noguchi, T.; Pongsawakul, P. Y.; Sonntag, T.; Welsh, D. K.; Brenner, D. A.; Doyle, F. J. 3rd, Schultz, P.G.; Kay, S.A. Science 2012, 337, 1094. Identification of small molecule activators of cryptochrome. DOI: 10.1126/science.1223710
Lee, J. W.; Hirota, T.; Peters, E. C.; Garcia, M.; Gonzalez, R.; Cho, C. Y.; Wu, X.; Schultz, P. G.; Kay, S. A. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2011, 50, 10608. A small molecule modulates circadian rhythms through phosphorylation of the period protein. DOI: 10.1002/anie.201103915
Hirota, T.; Lee, J.W.; Lewis, W.G.; Zhang, E. E.; Breton, G.; Liu, X.; Garcia, M.; Peters, E. C.; Etchegaray, J. P.; Traver, D.; Schultz, P. G.; Kay, S. A. PLoS Biol. 2010, 8, e1000559. High-throughput chemical screen identifies a novel potent modulator of cellular circadian rhythms and reveals CKIα as a clock regulatory kinase. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.1000559
Zhang, E. E.; Liu, A. C.; Hirota, T.; Miraglia, L. J.; Welch, G.; Pongsawakul, P. Y.; Liu, X.; Atwood, A.; Huss, J. W. 3rd, Janes, J., Su, A. I., Hogenesch, J. B., Kay, S. A. Cell 2009, 139, 199. A genome-wide RNAi screen for modifiers of the circadian clock in human cells. DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2009.08.031

« Back to Members Top

▲PAGE TOP