Peter Palese

Horace W. Goldsmith Professor and Chair, Department of Microbiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

Dr. Peter Palese is a Professor of Microbiology and Medicine, and the Chair of the Department of Microbiology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. Dr. Palese has extensive expertise in influenza virology, vaccine design, and translational research. His research focus is in the area of RNA-containing viruses with a special emphasis on influenza viruses. He established the first genetic map for influenza A, B, and C viruses, identified the function of several viral genes, and defined the mechanism of neuraminidase inhibitors (which are now FDA-approved antivirals). He was also a pioneer in the field of reverse genetics for negative strand RNA viruses. His laboratory’s research is currently focused on the development of a universal influenza virus vaccine and oncolytic viruses. Dr. Palese is a member of the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Medicine (formerly IOM), and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.