Dr. Nevan Krogan stands as a preeminent molecular systems biologist whose pioneering work has transformed the understanding of biological networks in disease contexts. He currently serves as Professor and Director of the Quantitative Biosciences Institute at the University of California San Francisco, where he has established a globally recognized research program since joining the faculty. Born and raised in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada, Dr. Krogan earned his Bachelor of Science in Chemistry and Master of Science in Biochemistry from the University of Regina before completing his PhD in Medical Genetics at the University of Toronto in 2005 under Jack Greenblatt. His early doctoral research focused on protein complexes and epistatic mini-array profiles to reveal pathways involved in chromatin function, laying the foundation for his future systems-level approaches.
Dr. Krogan's groundbreaking research focuses on developing and applying unbiased, quantitative systems approaches to study complex biological and disease mechanisms across a wide spectrum of conditions. His laboratory has pioneered methodologies to map intricate protein-protein interaction networks and genetic dependencies, generating comprehensive interaction maps that reveal how biomolecules change in diseased states. With over 350 publications to his name and more than 77,000 citations, his work has established foundational frameworks for understanding cellular systems through the lens of molecular networks. His approach integrates large-scale proteomic and genetic data to identify novel therapeutic targets, particularly in cancer research where he collaborates with Dr. Trey Ideker through the Cancer Systems Biology Consortium. This systematic methodology has enabled researchers worldwide to interrogate disease mechanisms with unprecedented precision and scale.
Beyond his research contributions, Dr. Krogan has cultivated a distinctive collaborative research environment that emphasizes partnership across disciplines and institutions as essential for scientific advancement. He has established infrastructure where trainees operate without constraints on experimental costs, encouraging innovation limited only by their imagination rather than resources. His leadership in major collaborative initiatives, including the Cancer Systems Biology Consortium, has fostered unprecedented data sharing and methodological standardization across the field. Drawing inspiration from historical figures like Frederick Banting and Charles Best who discovered insulin, Dr. Krogan remains committed to translating basic research findings into therapeutic applications that address pressing human health challenges. His ongoing work continues to refine systems-level approaches to unravel the complexity of disease mechanisms and accelerate the development of novel interventions.
