Dr. Carl F. Nathan stands as a preeminent leader in the field of immunology and microbiology with a distinguished career spanning over five decades. He currently serves as the R.A. Rees Pritchett Professor and Chair of the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at Weill Cornell Medicine, where he has held leadership positions since joining the institution in 1986. A graduate of Harvard College (1967) and Harvard Medical School (1972), Dr. Nathan completed his training in internal medicine and oncology at Massachusetts General Hospital, the National Cancer Institute, and Yale before establishing himself as a faculty member at The Rockefeller University from 1977 to 1986. His career trajectory includes significant leadership roles as Stanton Griffis Distinguished Professor of Medicine, founding director of the Tri-Institutional MD-PhD Program, senior associate dean for research, and acting dean at Weill Cornell Medicine.
Dr. Nathan's groundbreaking research has fundamentally transformed our understanding of innate immunity, particularly through his characterization of key cytokines including IFNγ, TGF-β, and TNFα in immunological processes. His laboratory's seminal work on the immune response to Mycobacterium tuberculosis revealed that defense cells attack bacteria using nitric oxide, a discovery that revolutionized the understanding of antibacterial infection defense mechanisms. This research elucidated how tuberculosis bacteria evade these immune defenses, providing critical insights that have significantly improved diagnostic approaches and therapeutic strategies for this deadly infectious disease. Dr. Nathan's contributions extend beyond basic science as he has worked with the Gates Foundation to develop a TB drug accelerator designed to expedite the development of novel tuberculosis treatments, demonstrating his commitment to translating fundamental discoveries into clinical applications.
As a member of both the National Academy of Sciences (elected 2011) and the National Academy of Medicine (elected 1998), Dr. Nathan's influence extends across the scientific community through numerous leadership roles and accolades. He has received prestigious awards including the Robert Koch Prize (2009) for his tuberculosis research, the Anthony Cerami Award in Translational Medicine (2013), and the 2025 David and Beatrix Hamburg Award from the National Academy of Medicine. Dr. Nathan serves as associate scientific director of the Cancer Research Institute, chairs multiple scientific advisory boards, and co-chairs the editorial board of the Journal of Experimental Medicine while contributing to the editorial boards of PNAS and Science Translational Medicine. His ongoing work continues to advance the field of immunology while addressing the critical global challenge of antimicrobial resistance through innovative research and collaborative initiatives.
