Kari I. Kivirikko
1991
Kari I. Kivirikko is a Finnish biochemist renowned for his research on collagen biosynthesis, particularly the role of prolyl hydroxylases in collagen formation. His work has been fundamental in understanding connective tissue disorders and has contributed to developing treatments for fibrosis and other collagen-related diseases.
Born 2 January 1937 in Helsinki, Finland
Studied in Helsinki
- Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia 1965–1967
- Senior Postdoctoral Fellow 1970–1971
- Visiting Scientist, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, Rutgers Medical School 1977
- Professor of Medical Biochemistry, University of Oulu 1970‑1988
- Professor of the Academy of Finland 1976–1983 and 1988–2002
- Professor Emeritus, 2002,
- Visiting Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Thomas Jefferson Medical College, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, several visits in 1987–1996
- Visiting Professor, Center for Gene Therapy, Alleglieny University of the Health Sciences / MCP Hahnemann University, Philadelphia 1996–2000
- Chairman the Council, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Heidelberg 1994–1996
- Founding Scientist and Scientiefic Advisor, FibroGen Inc., South San Francisco 1993–
- Member of the European Molecular Biology Organization 1982–
- Member of the Finnish Academy of Science and Letters 1983–
- Honorary Member of the Finnish Connective
- Tissue Research Society 1986–
- Member of Academia Europaea 1989–
- Honorary Member of the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology 1994–
Publications
More than 300 full papers in international scientific journals or books, mainly on biochemistry and molecular biology of collagens and enzymes of collagen synthesis and enzymes regulating hupoxia response
- Science Prize of the State of Finland 1999
- One of the 1000 Most‑Cited Scientists in 1965–1978
- Matti Äyräpää Prize, The Finnish Medical
- Society Duodecim 1977
- Recongnition Award, Finnish Cultural Foundation 1982
- Anders Jahre’s Nordic Medical Prize 1984
- Pentti Kaitera Prize 1989
- Professor of the Year 1989
- Distinguished Scientist Award, Fifth International Conference on Molecular Biology and Pathology of Matrix, Philadelphia 1994
- Runeberg’s Prize, Finska Läkaresällskapet 1995
