Manhasset, N.Y. — The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, the research home of Northwell Health, announced the appointment of Brian S. Kim, MD, MTR, as vice president and chief biotechnology officer at Northwell and head of intellectual asset management at the Feinstein Institutes.
Dr. Kim will also serve as the inaugural Robin and Jack Ross Chair in Bioelectronic Medicine and Neuroimmunology and professor in the Institute of Bioelectronic Medicine.
A dermatologist and physician-scientist, Dr. Kim joins the Feinstein Institutes from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. He has authored more than 190 peer-reviewed publications in journals including Cell, Nature, Science, New England Journal of Medicine and JAMA. He has been continuously funded by the National Institutes of Health since 2011 and leads the Allen Discovery Center for Neuroimmune Interactions, a $10 million multi-institutional center funded by Allen Family Philanthropies.
“Dr. Kim bridges medical research, clinical innovation and biotechnology entrepreneurship, and will innovate the field of bioelectronic medicine,” said Kevin J. Tracey, MD, president and CEO of the Feinstein Institutes and the Karches Family Distinguished Chair in Medical Research. “As our first chief biotechnology officer, he will accelerate discoveries from our labs into useful treatments that reach patients faster.”
Dr. Kim’s research has contributed to clinical advances, including the design of pivotal clinical trials that resulted in two first-in-class U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved treatments for atopic dermatitis and prurigo nodularis.
As an inventor of itch-centered technologies and holder of multiple patents, he co-founded Alys Pharmaceuticals, a clinical-stage immuno-dermatology biotech company, as well as Neurommune Therapeutics and Attu Therapeutics. He also serves as chair of the scientific advisory board at Neurommune and Attu.
His work has been recognized with awards including the Marion B. Sulzberger Award, Stephen I. Katz Lectureship, Donald Y. M. Leung Award, American Skin Association Research Achievement Award in Discovery, and the Young Dermatologist Achievement Award from the International League of Dermatological Societies. He has also served on the editorial boards of several journals, including the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Journal of Immunology, eLife and Cell Reports Medicine.
“The opportunity to lead biotechnology initiatives while advancing bioelectronic medicine and neuroimmunology research represents the perfect union of my clinical, scientific and entrepreneurial passion and expertise,” said Dr. Kim. “I’m eager to collaborate with all of the teams at the Feinstein Institutes and colleagues throughout Northwell Health to speed up the process of bringing laboratory breakthroughs into practice.”
Dr. Kim’s endowed chair is supported by Feinstein Institutes board vice chairman Jack Ross and his wife, Robin, assistant vice president of principal gifts at Northwell Health. In his leadership role, Dr. Kim will oversee biotechnology initiatives and intellectual property assets while continuing to advance research in bioelectronic medicine and neuroimmunology.
Dr. Kim will also hold an appointment as professor in the department of dermatology at Northwell Health.
“Dr. Kim’s appointment reflects our commitment to transforming bold research into better outcomes for our patients,” said John D’Angelo, MD, Northwell’s president and CEO. “With his leadership, we can better translate breakthrough science and pioneer the future of medicine while staying grounded in our mission to produce knowledge to cure disease.”
The Feinstein Institutes said it is a global pioneer in bioelectronic medicine, a field that uses electrical stimulation of the nervous system to treat disease. Under Dr. Tracey’s leadership, researchers discovered the inflammatory reflex and demonstrated that the nervous system can be used to control inflammation and immune responses.
That work led to the first FDA-approved vagus nerve stimulation implant to treat rheumatoid arthritis in 2025, with ongoing research addressing Crohn’s disease and other inflammatory conditions. Dr. Kim will help advance the research and its translation to patients through Northwell’s new clinical Center for Bioelectronic Medicine.
