Michael S. Kay Appointed MD-PhD Program Director
Michael S. Kay Appointed MD-PhD Program Director

Mar 31, 2020 12:00 AM
March 31, 2020
Dear Colleagues,
I am pleased to announce that Michael S. Kay, MD, PhD, has been appointed as the Director of
the MD-PhD Program.
Dr. Kay is well-suited to lead and enhance the MD-PhD Program. He is widely published in the
peptide drug design with a particular focus on antiviral applications. Dr. Kay started his
independent academic career at the U. in 2001 after completing his MD-PhD at Stanford and
postdoctoral training at MIT. He is currently a Professor of Biochemistry, Director of the Biological
Chemistry Graduate Program and the NIH Chemical Biology Training Grant, and an H.A. and
Edna Benning Presidential Endowed Chair.
Dr. Kay will build upon the achievements of his predecessor Robert Taylor, MD, PhD, whose
leadership has placed the program in a strong position for further success. Dr. Taylor will be
relocating to the University of Buffalo, where he will become Assistant Dean for MD-PhD studies
and an investigator in their Clinical and Translational Research Center.
The MD-PhD Program, founded in 1993, trains students to become highly valued physicianscientists
in the biomedical workforce. It enhances the educational and research activities in
the health sciences and has achieved many successes including three Lindau Awards, a high
F30 funding success rate, over 400 publications, outstanding residency placements, and a high
percentage of graduates currently in academia.
Dr. Kay has been involved with Program for many years, is deeply committed to the success of
its students, and looks forward to building on Dr. Taylor’s great work.
Please join me in thanking Dr. Taylor for his leadership and welcoming Dr. Kay to this important
appointment.
Willard Dere MD FACP
B. Lue and Hope S. Bettilyon Presidential Endowed Chair in Internal Medicine for Diabetes
Research
Associate Vice President for Research
Professor of Internal Medicine
Co-Director, Center for Clinical and Translational Science
Executive Director, Program in Personalized Health
University of Utah Health Sciences Center