View source for Keck Graduate Institute

{{Short description|Private graduate school in Claremont, California, US}}
{{pp-pc|small=yes}}
{{Use American English|date=September 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox university
 | name                   = Keck Graduate Institute
 | image                  = Wordmark Centered Positive TCC.png
 | caption                = Keck Graduate Institute logo
 | established            = {{start date and age|1997}}
 | type                   = [[Private university|Private]]
 | president              = Mohamed Abousalem
 | city                   = [[Claremont, California]]
 | country                = U.S.
 | students               = 617<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?id=440031#enrolmt|title=College Navigator - Keck Graduate Institute|website=National Center for Education Statistics|access-date=2017-04-16}}</ref>
 | campus                 = [[Suburban]]
 | endowment              = $67.1 million (2020)<ref>As of June 30, 2020. {{cite report |url=https://www.nacubo.org/-/media/Documents/Research/2020-NTSE-Public-Tables--Endowment-Market-Values--FINAL-FEBRUARY-19-2021.ashx |title=U.S. and Canadian Institutions Listed by Fiscal Year 2020 Endowment Market Value and Change in Endowment Market Value from FY19 to FY20 |publisher=National Association of College and University Business Officers and [[TIAA]] |date=February 19, 2021 |access-date=February 21, 2021}}</ref>
 | colors                 = {{flatlist|
*Navy blue
*Aqua
*Red
}}{{color box|#04233b}} {{color box|#007d9e}} {{color box|#d6282e}}
 | affiliations           = [[Claremont Colleges]]
 | website                = {{URL|http://www.kgi.edu}}
}}

'''Keck Graduate Institute''' ('''KGI''') is a [[Private university|private]] [[graduate school]] in [[Claremont, California]], United States. Founded by [[Henry E. Riggs|Henry Riggs]]   and David Galas<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.davidjgalasphd.com/keck | title=Section VI: Keck Graduate Institute }}</ref><ref>4</ref> in 1997, it is the seventh and newest member of the [[Claremont Colleges]].

==History==
[[Henry E. Riggs|Henry Riggs]], then president of [[Harvey Mudd College]], established the institute in 1997 to address what he perceived as a lack of scientists trained to convert new scientific discoveries into practical uses. He also became the institute's first president, serving until 2003.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|url=https://www.claremont-courier.com/pages/Topstory050907.3.html |title=Keck Graduate Institute To Celebrate 10th Year At Weekend Commencement |last=Rigsby |first=Landus |date=May 9, 2007 |work=[[Claremont Courier]] |access-date=April 13, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927141934/http://www.claremont-courier.com/pages/Topstory050907.3.html |archive-date=September 27, 2007 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Co-founder David J. Galas served as the Chief Academic and Scientific Officer, Dean of the Faculty, and Norris Professor of Applied Life Sciences.<ref>name="Interview David Galas">{{cite web |last1=Feingold |first1=David |title=President, Chatham University |url=https://newbooksnetwork.com/david-galas-founding-chief-academic-officer-and-chancellor-of-the-keck-graduate-institute |website=Newbooks network 2021 |access-date=2023-06-20 |ref=June 14, 2021}}</ref>

The decision to establish Keck Graduate Institute as a seventh [[Claremont Colleges|Claremont College]] was met with some opposition, particularly from faculty of the other Claremont Colleges who objected to its lack of [[Academic tenure|tenure]], and environmentalists who opposed its plans to build a campus next to the [[Robert J. Bernard Field Station|Bernard Field Station]], an area of undeveloped [[Coastal sage scrub|scrubland]]. The environmental issue was largely settled when KGI decided to establish its campus at a different location, and other opposition gradually faded.{{Verify source|date=November 2015}}<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{cite news | title = Keck foes persist in fight | work = Los Angeles Times (Claremont supplement) | date = November 23, 2000}}</ref>

The institute received a $50 million endowment from the [[W. M. Keck Foundation]], after which it was named. It awarded its first Master of [[Biotechnology|Bioscience]] degree in 2002.<ref name=":0" />

In 2003, [[Sheldon Schuster]] became the second president in the institute's history and in 2023, announced his retirement. Schuster took over from Riggs, who became chairman of the school's board of trustees. Schuster is a biochemist who previously served as director of the [[University of Florida]]'s biotechnology research program.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2003-jun-12-me-keck12-story.html|title=Scientist Named Keck Graduate Institute President|last=Hong|first=Peter Y.|date=2003-06-12|work=Los Angeles Times|access-date=2017-04-17|language=en-US|issn=0458-3035}}</ref>  In 2024, Keck Graduate Institute's Board of Trustees named Mohamed Abousalem as KGI's third president.<ref name="Nguyen">{{Cite web |last=Nguyen |first=Ryan |date=2024-03-12 |title=KGI Selects Dr. Mohamed Abousalem as its Third President |url=https://www.kgi.edu/news/kgi-selects-dr-mohamed-abousalem-as-its-third-president/ |access-date=2024-06-05 |website=Keck Graduate Institute |language=en-US}}</ref>

==Academics==
[[File:Keck Graduate Institute building.jpg|alt=|thumb|Keck Graduate Institute campus]]
Academic programs at KGI are organized into three schools: Henry E. Riggs School of Applied Life Sciences, School of Health Sciences, and School of Pharmacy. Keck Graduate Institute of Applied Life Sciences is accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities of the [[Western Association of Schools and Colleges]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.wscuc.org/institutions/keck-graduate-institute-applied-life-sciences|title=Keck Graduate Institute of Applied Life Sciences|date=June 24, 2011|website=WASC Senior College and University Commission|access-date=April 13, 2017|archive-date=April 13, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170413235226/https://www.wscuc.org/institutions/keck-graduate-institute-applied-life-sciences|url-status=dead}}</ref> The School of Pharmacy is accredited by the [[Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education]] (ACPE).<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.acpe-accredit.org/faq-item/keck-graduate-institute-kgi-school-of-pharmacy/|title=Keck Graduate Institute (KGI) School of Pharmacy|work=Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education|access-date=2017-04-13|language=en-US}}</ref> In August 2019, KGI appointed [[Joseph Molina|J. Mario Molina]] as dean of the new School of Medicine.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.dailybulletin.com/former-molina-healthcare-ceo-named-kgi-medical-school-founding-dean|title=Former Molina Healthcare CEO named KGI medical school founding dean|last=Márquez|first=Liset|date=2019-08-27|website=Daily Bulletin|language=en-US|access-date=2019-10-10}}</ref>

KGI also has a [[Master of Science]] in Human Genetics and Genetic Counseling program accredited by Accreditation Council for Genetic Counseling.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.gceducation.org/program-directory/|title=Program Directory|website=Accreditation Council for Genetic Counseling|access-date=2019-10-10|archive-date=October 10, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191010082231/https://www.gceducation.org/program-directory/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Research centers==
KGI maintains four research centers: the Center for Rare Disease Therapies,<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.bendbulletin.com/health/2942469-151/drugs-for-rare-disease-out-of-reach-for|title=Drugs for rare disease out of reach for Bend patient|work=The Bulletin|access-date=2017-04-13}}</ref> the Center for Biomarker Research{{Citation needed|date=April 2017}}, the Science Heritage Center{{Citation needed|date=April 2017}} and the Amgen Bioprocessing Center. The Amgen Bioprocessing Center was funded by a 2004 grant of $2 million to KGI from [[Amgen]], a pharmaceutical company based in [[Thousand Oaks, California]].

On December 28, 2016, KGI announced a plan to start a Master of Science in Human Genetics and Genetic Counseling program funded by an additional $1.5 million grant from Amgen.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.vcstar.com/story/news/education/2016/12/28/amgen-makes-masters-program-possible/95627818/|title=Amgen makes master's program possible|work=Ventura County Star|access-date=2017-04-13|language=en}}</ref>

===Spin-off companies===
[[Ionian Technologies]] was founded in 2000,{{Citation needed|date=April 2017}} and was the first spin-off company to commercialize technology developed at KGI.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2002-mar-08-me-biotech8-story.html|title=New Science Institute Spins Off Its 1st Firm|last=Blish|first=Tipton|date=2002-03-08|work=Los Angeles Times|access-date=2017-04-13|language=en-US}}</ref> Ionian focuses on molecular diagnostics for emerging and infectious diseases,<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Van Ness|first1=Jeffrey|last2=Van Ness|first2=Lori K.|last3=Galas|first3=David J.|date=2003-04-15|title=Isothermal reactions for the amplification of oligonucleotides|journal=Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America|volume=100|issue=8|pages=4504–4509|doi=10.1073/pnas.0730811100|pmc=404692|pmid=12679520|bibcode=2003PNAS..100.4504V|doi-access=free}}</ref> and in 2004 was awarded a contract to develop a handheld biothreat detector using isothermal amplification of DNA.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Finegold|first=David|date=2005-04-01|title=Alternative career options in the biomedical industry: the professional science master's degree|journal=Nature Biotechnology|language=en|volume=23|issue=4|pages=503–504|doi=10.1038/nbt0405-503|pmid=15815680|s2cid=11600629|issn=1087-0156}}</ref> Other KGI startups include Zuyder Pharmaceuticals and Claremont BioSolutions.{{Citation needed|date=April 2017}}

==Noted people==
===Noted alumni===
{{empty section|date=August 2021}}

===Noted faculty===
{{empty section|date=August 2021}}

===Presidents===

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! {{No.}}
! Image
! Name
! Term start
! Term end
! {{Reference heading}}
|-
| 1
| [[File:Hank Riggs.jpg|70px]]
| [[Henry E. Riggs]]
| 1997
| July 14, 2003
|
|-
| 2
| [[File:Sheldon Schuster.jpg|70px]]
| [[Sheldon Schuster]]
| July 15, 2003
| June 30, 2024
| <ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.kgi.edu/people/sheldon-schuster.html |title=Sheldon Schuster, PhD |publisher=KGI}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2003-jun-12-me-keck12-story.html |title=Scientist Named Keck Graduate Institute President |first=Peter Y. |last=Hong |date=June 12, 2003 |newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]]}}</ref>
|-
| 3
|[[File:Mohamed-Abousalem-KGI.jpg|70px]]
| Mohamed Abousalem
| July 1, 2024
| present
| <ref name="Nguyen"/><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.kgi.edu/news/2024/kgi-selects-dr-mohamed-abousalem-as-its-third-president.html |title=KGI Selects Dr. Mohamed Abousalem as its Third President |date=May 1, 2024 |publisher=KGI}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://claremont-courier.com/schools/kgi-welcomes-new-president-78382/ |title=KGI welcomes new president |date=July 4, 2024 |newspaper=[[Claremont Courier]]}}</ref>
|-
|}

== See also ==
{{portal|California}}
* [[Association of Independent Technological Universities]]

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==External links==
*{{Official website|http://www.kgi.edu/ }}
*{{College-navigator|440031}}

{{Claremont Colleges}}
{{Colleges and universities in Los Angeles County}}

{{coord|34.092796|-117.723042|type:edu_globe:earth_region:US-CA|display=title}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Universities and colleges in Los Angeles County, California]]
[[Category:Schools accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges]]
[[Category:Claremont Colleges]]
[[Category:Biotechnology organizations]]
[[Category:Educational institutions established in 1997]]
[[Category:San Gabriel Valley]]
[[Category:1997 establishments in California]]
[[Category:Private universities and colleges in California]]