Kathryn C. Zoon, Ph.D. (1949–still living)
“I believe that CBER’s tradition of integrating innovative science with innovative regulations has enhanced our ability to protect the public health, and has led to safer and more effective biological products.”
- — Kathryn Zoon
Dr. Kathryn C. Zoon was born in 1949 in Yonkers, New York. She received her bachelor’s degree with honors in chemistry from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) in 1970 and a Ph.D. in biochemistry from Johns Hopkins University in 1976. She was the only female in her chemistry classes at RPI in the 1960s.
From 1977 to 1980, Zoon was a fellow at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). She worked with Nobel Laurate Christian B. Anfinsen on the purification and characterization of interferon, a key player of the immune system’s first line of defense against viral infections. They were the first to sequence a human interferon alpha protein, which opened the door to genetic engineering of this interferon and many other important biological protein medicines. Zoon continued her research on interferon throughout her career.
FDA History Office
Known for her strong research skills, inspiring leadership abilities, and intelligent management style, Zoon became the first female director of CBER in 1992, a position she held through 2002. She took the helm at CBER when they were receiving a remarkable number of new biotechnology product applications.
In 2002, she was elected to the National Academy of Medicine based on her contributions to public health and biotechnology.
Zoon returned to the NIH in 2003 where she worked at the National Cancer Institute as principal deputy director. She became the first female scientific director at NIH’s National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease's Division of Intramural Research in 2006. In this role she led staff in virology, immunology, product development, and clinical research, retaining and training new scientists, and providing future directors for programs.
Since 2017 she has served on the board of directors for Emergent BioSolutions, Inc., whose mission is to protect and save lives from public health threats.
Zoon has won numerous awards during her career including: the BioPharm Person of the Year Award (1992); a Genetic Engineering News Award (1994); the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary’s Award for Distinguished Service for outstanding leadership in positioning the FDA as an important contributor to the nation’s ability to respond to bioterrorism (2001): and an HHS award for counter-bioterrorism (2003). She also received the 2014 William Hancock Award for Outstanding Achievement in CMC Regulatory Science from the non-profit science society, CASSS, and was inducted into RPI's Alumni Hall of Fame in 2020.
Dr. Zoon worked in Building 29, Room 130 and Building 29A, second floor.
Publications:
- “Control of Viral Infections and Diseases” by Kathryn C. Zoon, Karen L. Goldenthal, and Karen Midthun, Chapter 51 in Medical Microbiology, 4th edition. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK8492/.
- “Immunomodulatory effects of interferons in malignancies” by Joseph Bekisz, Yuki Sato, Chase Johnson, Syed R. Husain, Raj K. Puri, and Kathryn C. Zoon in Journal of Interferon & Cytokine Research (2013). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3647483/.
- “Antiproliferative Properties of Type I and Type II Interferon” by Joseph Bekisz, Samuel Baron, Corey Balinksy, Angel Morrow, and Kathryn C. Zoon in Pharmaceuticals (Basel) (2010). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2907165/.
- “Samuel Baron (1928–2015)” by Kathryn C. Zoon and Robert M. Friedman in Journal of Interferon & Cytokine Research (2015). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4560847/.