Elliott Dan Kieff

Elliott Dan Kieff held both an MD and a PhD reflecting his commitment to bridging the gap between clinical medicine and basic molecular science. He was a pioneering American virologist and physician-scientist.

He served as the Harriet Ryan Albee Professor of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics at Harvard Medical School and directed the Harvard Program in Virology for 13 years. As a long-time professor at Harvard Medical School and chief of infectious diseases at Brigham & Women's Hospital, he made foundational discoveries regarding Epstein Barr Virus DNA structure, latent infection, and B-cell transformation. His work included key discoveries concerning the immunological, cell biological and molecular events by which the Epstein Barr virus causes infectious mononucleosis and contributes to human malignancies. In addition, he was a dedicated mentor to generations of virologists and physicians.

Over his career, Dr. Kieff authored over 300 journal articles and chapters in 27 books. His work was recognized with numerous awards and election to professional and academic societies, including the Ricketts Award at the University of Chicago and election to the Association of American Physicians in 1985 where he served as president from 2008–2009, the National Academy of Sciences in 1996, Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society in 1997, and the Institute of Medicine (now National Academy of Medicine) in 2001, in addition to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2002.