Dr. Jeff Karp, Distinguished Chair at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Professor at Harvard Medical School and MIT, is renowned for accelerating medical innovation through his groundbreaking work in drug delivery, stem cell therapies, and medical devices. He has published over 165 papers, which have garnered more than 35,000 citations, delivered 400 invited lectures, holds over 100 patents, and co-founded 13 companies.
Jeff leads a research lab focused on harnessing lessons from nature, with notable innovations including tissue glue for sealing holes in a beating heart, targeted therapies for osteoarthritis and Crohn’s disease, smart needles, a nasal spray that neutralizes airborne pathogens, and immunotherapy approaches for cancer.
He is a fellow of the National Academy of Inventors, the Royal Society of Canada, the Royal Society of Chemistry, the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering, the Biomedical Engineering Society, and the Canadian Academy of Engineering. Jeff is also a Clarivate Highly Cited Researcher (top 0.1%) and has received the Distinguished Alumni Award at the University of Toronto, the highest honor bestowed by the Engineering Alumni Network.
Growing up in rural Canada, Jeff’s journey with learning differences became a personal laboratory where he developed transformative strategies, now known as 'Life Ignition Tools' (LIT). These tools, forged through his own challenges, have evolved into a powerful method for personal and professional innovation, benefiting not only Jeff but countless others he has inspired. His book LIT, published by HarperCollins, details these approaches. Jeff is also Head of Innovation at Geoversity, Nature’s University, a rainforest bio-leadership training conservancy located in one of the world’s top biodiversity hotspots. He lives in Brookline, Massachusetts, with his family and two Cavalier King Charles spaniels.