Michael King '91

  • Michael King
    Class of 1991

    Michael King, Ph.D., a 1991 Rush-Henrietta graduate, is a professor at Cornell University, where his research focuses on the study of how blood cells and cancer cells in the bloodstream stick to each other and communicate with the vessel wall. This microscopic behavior is important in many biomedical processes such as blood clotting and thrombosis, inflammation, and the spread of cancer to different organs.

    Dr. King joined Cornell University in 2008 after six years at the University of Rochester. He has made significant research contributions that potentially could help millions of people. Dr. King was the first to develop a set of techniques for isolating rate circulating stem cells from patient blood samples that led to the creation of CellTraffix, a Rochester-based startup company. His research also has led to new approaches for targeted drug and gene delivery to circulating cells. As evidence of his expertise, he has published two books and has led international symposiums in San Diego and Montreal.

    In addition, Dr. King has made an impact on medical and bioengineering policy. In 2011, as chair of the Scientific and Standardization Committee of the International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis, he published an official position paper setting international standards for thrombosis research. He also serves as co-leader of the Multi-scale Systems Biology working group, which serves as an advisory body for the National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation, United States Department of Education, and the United States Department of Defense, among others. 

    Dr. King also has advanced biomedical engineering education. At the University of Rochester, he developed a new core course called “Biomedical Computation.” His accompanying textbook, “Numerical and Statistical Methods for Bioengineering,” is now used at other colleges.

    Dr. King speaks often and fondly of his time at Rush-Henrietta and the fundamental education he received that enabled his success in science and academia. He is particularly grateful for teachers who challenged and inspired him. These include Mr. Jim Iak, science; Dr. Roger Eckers, music; and Mr. Jim DeCamp, English.

    He and his wife, Dr. Cynthia Reinhart-King, are colleagues at Cornell University.