Kim described as a “shining light” by Dean Perlmutter
Albert H. Kim, MD, PhD, neurosurgeon-scientist and Professor in the Departments of Neurosurgery, Genetics, Neurology, and Developmental Biology, was installed as the August A. Busch Jr. Professor of Neurological Surgery. A celebration to mark the event took place on Tuesday, Nov. 4 at the Jeffrey T. Fort Neuroscience Research Building.
During his introductory remarks, Chair Gregory J. Zipfel, MD, reflected on the characteristics that have made Dr. Kim such a wonderful surgeon, scientist, leader and friend. Borrowing from a quote used to describe Leonardo DaVinci, Zipfel referred to Dr. Kim as “insatiably curious and relentlessly observant.”
In his address to the attendees, Dr. Kim spoke about brain tumor discovery. Specifically, how neurosurgeons need to look back at the lessons from the past in order to envision new and better brain tumor treatments and diagnostics.
Dr. Kim’s clinical focus is the management of complex brain tumors, both malignant and benign. He has been continuously funded by the NIH since 2012 and has authored more than 150 peer-reviewed publications. Dr. Kim’s laboratory is dedicated to understanding the fundamental principles governing tumor cell heterogeneity and the tumor microenvironment, with the ultimate goal of pioneering therapeutic treatments for brain tumors. In 2021, Kim was appointed director of The Brain Tumor Center at Siteman Cancer Center. In 2022, Kim was named the inaugural Danforth WashU Physician Scientist Scholar.
Dr. Kim has served in leadership positions in the American Association of Neurological Surgeons/Congress of Neurological Surgeons Section on Tumors, the Society for Neuro-Oncology, the NINDS K12 National Neurosurgery Research Career Development Program, Advances and Neurosurgery. He has mentored more than 50 trainees at all levels, from undergraduate students to post-doctoral fellows, and is Co-Director of the Advanced Surgical Neuro-oncology Fellowship at Washington University.