Keith Yamamoto

Dr. Keith Yamamoto serves as Vice Chancellor for Science Policy and Strategy and Director of Precision Medicine at the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) School of Medicine. He earned a PhD in Biochemical Sciences from Princeton University (1973) and completed postdoctoral training in Molecular Biology at UCSF (1973–1975).

• B.Sc., Biochemistry and Biophysics, Iowa State University (1968)
• Ph.D., Biochemical Sciences, Princeton University (1973)
• Postdoc, Molecular Biology, UCSF (1973–1975)

Dr. Yamamoto is an international leader in intracellular receptor signaling and gene regulation, particularly focusing on glucocorticoid and steroid receptors. His work spans molecular mechanisms, chromatin dynamics, and translational applications in cancer and metabolic diseases. Recent publications highlight his contributions to precision medicine, data sharing policies, and glucocorticoid receptor function in transcriptional control.

His research has been funded by multiple NIH grants, including projects on CasCUT&RUN for cancer transcriptional analysis and Gene Regulation by Steroid Receptor Proteins over four decades. He has served as Principal Investigator or Co-Investigator on grants related to nuclear receptors, molecular biology study sections, and biomedical workforce development.

• NIH Research Career Development Award (1977–1982)
• UCSF Distinguished Teaching Award (1979–1980)
• Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar Award (1982–1986)
• Elected to National Academy of Sciences (1990)
• Gregory Pincus Medal (1992)
• Edwin B. Astwood Award, The Endocrine Society (2012)

Dr. Yamamoto has contributed extensively to academic mentorship, receiving the UCSF Postdoctoral Scholars Association Outstanding Faculty Mentorship Award (2012) and leading NIH-funded programs to enhance biomedical workforce training.