Patricia M. Kane PhD

Dr. Patricia M. Kane completed her undergraduate degree at St. Lawrence University and her MS (1984) and doctoral degrees in bio-organic chemistry (1987) at Cornell University. She was awarded a National Institute of Health postdoctoral fellowship (1988-1990) and then joined the faculty of The College of William and Mary as an assistant professor of chemistry. She was the recipient of the National Science Foundation Presidential Young Investigators Award in 1991, before joining the faculty of the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology as an assistant professor in 1992. She was promoted to full professor in 2003 and became chair of the department of Biochemistry in 2009.

Dr. Kane’s research on the function of proton-ATPase and the control of cellular pH has been continuously funded by the NIH since 1994, including the most recent awards for continuing the study of how V-ATPase, a type of enzyme, knows where and how to help cells regulate pH. Long-term, this work could help researchers better understand neurodegenerative diseases and those that affect the immune system. She has authored 54 peer-reviewed publications, many written with a large number of postdoctoral, graduate, and undergraduate students she has mentored.

Dr. Kane has been recognized for her teaching with the Upstate Excellence in Teaching Award (1995), was elevated to the SUNY Distinguished Faculty rank (2016), and was three times honored with the Outstanding Teacher Award from the Upstate College of Graduate Studies. She is also the recipient of the Upstate President’s Award for Excellence in Research (2004) and the Award for Research and Scholarship from the Research Foundation of SUNY (2007).