Location Dresden, Sachsen, Germany Regions European Union (EU), Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) Gender Male
Website en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kai_Simons
Kai Simons is Emeritus Director of the Max Planck Institute for Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics and CEO of Lipotype GmbH in Dresden, Germany. Kai Simons received his MD degree from the University of Helsinki. Simons then conducted postdoctoral research at Rockefeller University in New York. In 1967, he was Principal Investigator of the Finnish
Medical Research Council at the University of Helsinki.
In 1975, he moved to the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) in Heidelberg, Germany, where he started the Cell Biology Program, which became the focal point for molecular cell biology in Europe. In 2001 Kai Simons moved to Dresden to build up the new Max Planck Institute for Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics. This Institute is today an internationally recognized center in its area of research.
His recent research has focused on cell membrane organization and function. He has pioneered the concept of lipid rafts as a membrane organizing principle, based on the phase-separating capabilities of sphingolipids and cholesterol in cell membranes. For his contributions to cell biology, Kai has received numerous accolades, including the Keith Porter Lecturer of the American Society for Cell Biology, a Harvey Society Lecturer, Dunham Lecturer at Harvard Medical School, and Li Lecturer, UC Berkeley.
He has received the Anders Jahre Prize for Medical Research, the Runeberg Prize, Finland, the Laurens van Deenen Medal, University of Utrecht, the Schleiden Medal of the Academy Leopoldina and the Äyräpää Prize, Finland.He is Doctor Honoris Causa at the Universities of Geneva, Oulu and Kuopio, Finland and Leuven, Belgium. Kai is a foreign member of the National Academy of Sciences, USA, and was the President of the European Life Scientist Organization. In 2007–2008 Kai was co-director of the Shanghai Institute for Advanced Studies of the Chinese Academy of Science. His biotech experience includes co-founding the Biotech-Start-up Jado Technologies and membership in the scientific advisory boards of Biogen and Sanofi.
With Lipotype, 2013 winner of the start-up competition futuresax of the Free State of Saxony and 2015 winner of the cross-cluster competition “Emerging Industries”, Kai Simons is now focusing on translating lipidomics and lipid analysis to clinical and industrial applications.
