Lawrence Steinman

Professor Lawrence Steinman is currently is the George A. Zimmermann Endowed Chair in the Neurology Department at Stanford University.

His specialities lie in autoimmune diseases, particularly multiple sclerosis and neuromyelitis optica.

In the Steinman Laboratory of Stanford, which is his foundation, he has developed new therapies for autoimmune diseases, some of which are in advanced clinical trials.

Professor Steinman has overseen success in the pharmaceuticals industry; he was on the board of Centocor, sold to Johnson and Johnson in 1998 for $4.9 billion, and was a founder of Neurocrine Biosciences (NASDAQ:NBIX) which went public in 1997.

Professor Steinman was instrumental in discovering the application of natalizumab (Tysabri) in treating multiple sclerosis. The drug was sold to Royalty Pharma in 2017 for $2.85 billion.

Recognition for his work includes the Friedrich Sasse Award in 1994, the John Dystel Prize in 2004, the Charcot Prize for Lifetime Achievement in Multiple Sclerosis Research in 2011, and the Anthony Cerami Award in Translational Medicine in 2015.

He has twice been awarded the Senator Jacob Javits Award by the US Congress, in 1988 and 2002.

Professor Steinman is a member of both the National Academy of Medicine and the National Academy of Sciences.