Boston — The Institute for Protein Innovation, a nonprofit research organization focused on protein science and biomedical research, announced the appointment of Kevin J. Harvey, Ph.D., as President and Chief Executive Officer.
Harvey joins the Institute from Aviva Systems Biology and brings more than two decades of experience in antibodies, protein research and life sciences research tools.
The Institute said Harvey will lead its next phase of growth as it expands its recombinant antibody platform, develops new protein tools for neuroscience and broadens access to its protein engineering capabilities.
“IPI has built something unique: a model and platform that researchers worldwide can already access,” Harvey said. “I’m joining at this pivotal moment, when the foundation is strong and the impact imminent.”
Founded in 2017 by Harvard Medical School professors Timothy Springer, Ph.D., and Andrew Kruse, Ph.D., the Institute was established to advance the discovery, development and sharing of protein-based research tools.
Today, the organization provides recombinant antibodies and protein science expertise to researchers and is developing technologies in antibody discovery, validation and machine learning-enabled protein science.
Samantha Singer, Chair of IPI’s Board of Directors, said Harvey’s experience scaling antibody businesses will support the Institute’s growth.
“Kevin joins IPI at an inflection point,” Singer said. “The Board is confident that the stability and infrastructure IPI has already achieved position us well for our next chapter.”
Harvey previously served as President of Aviva Systems Biology, where he led operations and strategy, expanded the company’s recombinant antibody portfolio and focused on product development and growth.
Before joining Aviva, he led Thermo Fisher Scientific’s antibody business and held leadership positions spanning research, commercialization and business strategy at several biotechnology organizations.
Harvey earned a Ph.D. in microbiology and immunology from the University of Illinois Chicago and conducted postdoctoral research at the University of California, San Diego.
His research has included work on cell death pathways, DNA replication, genomic stability, kinase inhibitors and antibody characterization.
The Institute has recently expanded its recombinant antibody discovery platform, launched the Community Access Antibody Program and published research involving machine learning-guided antibody discovery.
“My focus in the months ahead is straightforward,” Harvey said. “We’ll grow our recombinant antibody catalog and platform, reach further across the scientific community, particularly in neuroscience, and build the financial sustainability that enables IPI to do more science.”
