Dr. Kim is being recognized for her distinguished work in the use of stem cell biology to study lung cancer and lung disease
March 27, 2025 — Carla Kim, PhD, has been named a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), the world’s largest general scientific society and publisher of the Science family of journals. Kim, Principal Investigator at Boston Children’s Hospital, Faculty of the Stem Cell Program, and Professor of Genetics and Pediatrics at Harvard Medical School, is among the 471 scientists, engineers, and innovators who have been elected 2024 Fellows for their scientifically and socially distinguished achievements throughout their careers.
"It is an honor to be welcomed into this prestigious group of scientists, and a privilege to contribute to advancing our understanding of lung biology,” said Kim. “I am deeply grateful to my mentors, institutions, and trainees, all of whom have made this work possible."
Kim is an internationally renowned leader in the field of lung stem cell biology. Her group was the first to identify cancer stem cell populations in the two most frequent types of lung cancer in patients. Kim’s lab also has developed a 3D lung organoid system that makes it possible to derive specialized lung cells from lung stem cells. Her work has contributed to a better understanding of stem cell biology in the lung, development of innovative approaches for examining the cellular and molecular basis of cancer, pulmonary disease and aging, and identification of new therapeutic avenues for lung cancer.
“We are very proud of Dr. Kim, who has developed an important understanding of lung stem and progenitor cells and is developing important therapeutic opportunities for cystic fibrosis,” said Len Zon, MD, the Grousbeck Professor of Pediatric Medicine at Harvard Medical School, Investigator at Howard Hughes Medical Institute, and Director of the Stem Cell Program at Boston Children’s Hospital. “Congrats on her election to AAAS Fellow.”
A tradition dating back to 1874, election as an AAAS Fellow is a lifetime honor, and all Fellows are expected to maintain the highest standards of professional ethics and scientific integrity. Distinguished past honorees include Ellen Ochoa, Steven Chu, Grace Hopper, Alan Alda, Mae Jemison, and Ayanna Howard.