Kelvin H. Lee

Kelvin H. Lee is the Gore Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at the University of Delaware and Director of the National Institute for Innovation in Manufacturing Biopharmaceuticals (NIIMBL). He holds a BSE in Chemical Engineering from Princeton University and a PhD from California Institute of Technology (Caltech), with postdoctoral training at ETH Zurich and Caltech’s Biology Division. Previously, he served as Director of the Delaware Biotechnology Institute and held leadership roles at Cornell University, including the Samuel C. and Nancy M. Fleming Chair Professorship and Directorships of the Cornell Institute for Biotechnology and the New York State Center for Life Science Enterprise.

His research focuses on biomolecular engineering, proteomics, systems biology, and neurodegenerative disease diagnostics. Notable achievements include pioneering work in protein secretion mechanisms, Alzheimer’s disease biomarker discovery, and biopharmaceutical process development. Key contributions include the development of porous electrophoresis sponges and proteomic markers for Alzheimer’s diagnosis.

• Education:
  • PhD in Chemical Engineering, California Institute of Technology (1995)
  • MS in Chemical Engineering, California Institute of Technology (1993)
  • BSE in Chemical Engineering, Princeton University (1991)

Dr. Lee’s awards include the Camille Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar Award (2003), MIT Technology Review’s Top 100 Innovators (2002), and the Jay Bailey Young Investigator Award (2002). He has authored over 200 publications and holds patents in biotechnology and diagnostics. His leadership roles in Manufacturing USA’s NIIMBL highlight his impact on national biopharmaceutical innovation.

His lab integrates systems biology, proteomics, and engineering to address challenges in biomanufacturing and neurodegenerative diseases. Collaborative projects span academia, industry, and government, emphasizing translational research and scalable solutions.