Science & Medicine Pioneer
Stuart Kim
Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine
Stuart Kim is Professor Emeritus of Developmental Biology and Genetics at Stanford University School of Medicine.
Kim's research focuses on genome-wide association studies for musculoskeletal injuries and identifying DNA markers associated with a higher risk of sports injuries, including ankle sprains, rotator cuff tears, shoulder dislocations, and plantar fasciitis.
In 2017, Kim’s lab developed a genetic algorithm for low bone mineral density (BMD), the largest risk factor for stress fracture as well as other fractures, common in athletes due to overuse and overtraining. The goal of the algorithm is to identify athletes at risk for osteoporosis or stress fractures, and then to take measures to prevent injury before it occurs.
“We are still in the dawning age of genetic testing. But new research is being conducted on a much greater scale that we hope will help us identify where and how genetic information can be used to avoid injury,” Kim said in an interview with The Atlantic.
Kim has been a Markey Scholar, a Searle Scholar, and an Ellison Scholar for his research on the genetics of aging. He is a recipient of the international Ho-Am Prize in medicine (2004) and the Glenn Award in Aging Research (2008).
Kim has also served as an editor for PLoS Genetics and on the National Science Advisory Council for the American Federation for Aging Research and the Scientific Advisory Board for the Buck Institute for Research on Aging in Novato, CA.