Mark A. Kay

Dr. Mark A. Kay, MD, PhD, is the Dennis Farrey Family Professor and the Associate Chair for Basic Research in the Department of Pediatrics, Professor of Genetics and the Head of the Division of Human Gene Therapy at the Stanford University’s School of Medicine. Dr. Kay received his MD, PhD from the Case Western Reserve University, and residency and clinical postdoctoral fellowship from the Baylor College of Medicine. He is a leading expert in translational gene therapy and holds the IND for the first rAAV-vector based human clinical trials for Hemophilia B. His contributions to the field of gene therapy also include developing safer and effective recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV) vectors; a novel gene editing approach for enabling single vector administration for the treatment and cure of genetic, congenital, and acquired diseases; and effective gene targeting using non-coding RNA biology and RNA interference (RNAi). He has published over 250 papers in leading journals such as Cell, Nature, Science; has co-founded gene therapy companies and is on their scientific advisory board. Dr. Kay has also organized many national and international conferences related to gene therapy. He is one of the founders of the American Society of Gene Therapy, and served as its president from 2005-2006.