Josef Penninger MD, PhD

Dr. Josef Penninger is a trained medical doctor and Professor of Medical Genetics at the University of Vienna and University of British Columbia, where he also serves as Director of the Life Sciences Institute. His lab studies the cellular and molecular mechanisms behind a range of diseases, including cancer and infectious diseases.

Dr. Penninger's findings on angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) and its role in Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (SARS-CoV) infections have brought the scientific community a step closer to finding an intervention for the COVID-19 pandemic. His efforts in this field led to the rapid identification of a potential drug molecule that entered Phase II clinical trials for the treatment of COVID-19 infection in April 2020.