Kevin J. Tracey

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Kevin J. Tracey
Kevin J. Tracey Headshot.jpg
Tracey in 2019
Born (1957-12-10) 10 December 1957 (age 68)
Fort Wayne, Indiana
Alma mater Boston College (B.S.)
Boston University (M.D.)
Known forInflammatory reflex
Bioelectronic medicine
Vagus nerve research
AwardsHans Wigzell Research Foundation Science Prize (2023)
Fellow, American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (2020)
Honorary Doctorate, Karolinska Institute (2009)
Scientific career
Fields Neurosurgery, immunology, Bioelectronic medicine
Institutions Feinstein Institute for Medical Research
Northwell Health
Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell
Website feinstein.northwell.edu/institutes-researchers/our-researchers/kevin-j-tracey-md

Kevin J. Tracey, is an American neurosurgeon, biomedical researcher, and author known for his contributions to the fields of inflammation, neuroscience, and bioelectronic medicine. He is president and chief executive officer of the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, executive vice president for research at Northwell Health, and holds the Karches Family Distinguished Chair in Medical Research. Tracey is also professor of neurosurgery and molecular medicine at the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/ Northwell, and president of the Elmezzi Graduate School of Molecular Medicine [1] in Manhasset, New York. The Public Library of Science Magazine, PLOS Biology, recognized Tracey in 2019 as one of the most cited researchers in the world. [2]

Contents

Early life and education

Tracey was born in Fort Wayne, Indiana. He earned a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in chemistry from Boston College in 1979 and a Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) degree from Boston University in 1983. From 1983 to 1992 he completed his neurosurgical training at New York Hospital-Cornell University Medical Center [3] under neurosurgeon, Russel Patterson. During his residency, he conducted research as a guest investigator at Rockefeller University. [4]

Career

In 1992, Tracey joined Northwell Health (then North Shore-LIJ Health System), [5] in Manhasset, New York, where he practiced neurosurgery and founded the Laboratory of Biomedical Science, later renamed the Tatyana and Alan Forman Family Laboratory of Biomedical Science. In 2005, he was appointed president and CEO of the Feinstein Institute for Medical Research, and president of the Elmezzi Graduate School of Molecular Medicine. [1]

He co‑founded '''SetPoint Medical''', a biotechnology company developing vagus nerve stimulation devices for autoimmune diseases, and co‑founded the '''Global Sepsis Alliance''', an international non‑profit organization for sepsis awareness and prevention. [6] [7] [8] [9]

In 2021, Tracey and colleagues at the Feinstein Institutes received a five‑year, $3.7 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying bioelectronic medicine. [10]

Research and scientific contributions

Tracey’s research focuses on the interaction between the nervous and immune systems, particularly the neural regulation of inflammation.

Tumor necrosis factor and HMGB1

In early studies, Tracey and his collaborators identified '''tumor necrosis factor (TNF)''' as a key mediator of shock and tissue injury. [11] [12] They first demonstrated the anti‑inflammatory activity of monoclonal anti‑TNF antibodies, a discovery that supported the development of biologic therapies targeting TNF for rheumatoid arthritis and Crohn’s disease. [13]

In 1999, his team reported that '''high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1)'''—a nuclear DNA‑binding protein—acts as a late‑phase inflammatory mediator, explaining mechanisms of sterile inflammation following trauma and sepsis. [14]

The inflammatory reflex and vagus nerve

In the 1990s, Tracey and colleagues discovered that electrical or pharmacologic stimulation of the '''vagus nerve''' inhibits cytokine release, including TNF, through an anti‑inflammatory neural pathway. He described this mechanism as the '''inflammatory reflex''', a bidirectional feedback circuit between the nervous and immune systems. [6] [8] [15] This finding provided the conceptual basis for '''bioelectronic medicine''', in which medical devices modulate peripheral nerve activity to treat inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. [16]

Working with SetPoint Medical, Tracey’s discoveries contributed to development of an implantable vagus nerve stimulation system that, in 2025, became the first U.S. Food and Drug Administration‑approved bioelectronic medicine device for rheumatoid arthritis. [17] [18]

Later studies in Tracey’s laboratory identified neural circuits connecting the vagus nerve’s '''dorsal motor nucleus''' to the '''celiac–superior mesenteric ganglion complex''', demonstrating parasympathetic control of sympathetic splenic neurons. Additional research revealed that '''choline acetyltransferase‑expressing T cells (T ChAT cells)''' mediate neural suppression of cytokine production by releasing acetylcholine. [19] [20] [21]

In May 2025, Kevin J. Tracey published The Great Nerve: The New Science of the Vagus Nerve and How to Harness Its Healing Reflexes, a book exploring the role of the vagus nerve in regulating the immune system. [22] Drawing from research, Tracey discusses how stimulating the vagus nerve can turn off inflammation and could offer treatments for rheumatoid arthritis and inflammatory bowel disease, among others. [23]

Awards and honors

Publications

Tracey has authored more than 450 peer‑reviewed papers and holds over 120 U.S. and international patents. His research has received over 130,000 citations, with an h‑index exceeding 170. [33]

YearTitle [34] PublicationAuthor(s)Volume/Issue Citation
2011Acetylcholine-synthesizing T cells relay neural signals in a vagus nerve circuitScienceRosas-Ballina M, Olofsson PS, Ochani M, Valdés-Ferrer SI, Levine YA, Reardon C, Tusche MW, Pavlov VA, Andersson U, Chavan S, Mak TW, Tracey KJ10.1126/science.1209985
2003Nicotinic acetylcholine receptor alpha7 subunit is an essential regulator of inflammationNatureWang H, Yu M, Ochani M, Amella CA, Tanovic M, Susarla S, Li JH, Wang H, Yang H, Ulloa L, Al-Abed Y, Czura CJ, Tracey KJ10.1038/nature01339
2002The inflammatory reflexNatureTracey KJ10.1038/nature01321
1999HMG-1 as a late mediator of endotoxin lethality in miceScienceWang H, Bloom O, Zhang M, Vishnubhakat JM, Ombrellino M, Che J, Frazier A, Yang H, Ivanova S, Borovikova L, Manogue KR, Faist E, Abraham E, Andersson J, Andersson U, Molina PE, Abumrad NN, Sama A, Tracey KJ10.1126/science.285.5425.248

Book and editorial activities

Patents

YearTitleInventor(s)Patent Number / Application Number
2025Stimulation of the celiac-superior mesenteric ganglion complex for treating inflammationValentin A Pavlov, Santhoshi Poonacha Palandira, Kevin J TraceyApplication: 18929926 [38]
2025Choline acetyltransferase as a therapy for endotoxemia, sepsis, colitis and inflammatory diseasesSangeeta S Chavan, Kevin J TraceyApplication: 18293972 [39]
2024Neural control of adaptive immunitySangeeta S Chavan, Kevin J TraceyApplication: 18278688 [40]
2024Systems and methods for real-time monitoring of physiological biomarkers through nerve signals and use thereofTheodoros Zanos, Todd Levy, Emily Battinelli, Kevin J Tracey, Chad E Bouton, Sangeeta Chavan, Harold SilvermanPatent: 11872371 [41]

References

  1. 1 2 "Elmezzi Graduate School". 23 May 2024.
  2. ↑ Baas, Jeroen; Klavans, Richard; Boyack, Kevin; Ioannidis, John P. A. (2019). "Bibliometrics". Supplementary data tables for "A standardized citation metrics author database annotated for scientific field" (PLoS Biology 2019). Vol. 1. Mendeley. doi:10.17632/btchxktzyw.1 . Retrieved 29 September 2019.
  3. ↑ "Cornell Neurological Surgery Alumni". 23 January 2013.
  4. ↑ "Lecturer Will Discuss Replacing Drugs with Electronic Devices". Kidney News. 8 (10/11): 31. October 2016.
  5. ↑ "The Generator by Emily Anthes". Archived from the original on 25 March 2019. Retrieved 25 March 2019.
  6. 1 2 Fox, D (3 May 2017). "The shock tactics set to shake up immunology". Nature. 545 (7652): 20–22. Bibcode:2017Natur.545...20F. doi: 10.1038/545020a . PMID   28470211. S2CID   4385501. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  7. ↑ Garde, Damien (2013). "SetPoint Medical – 2013 Fierce 15". FierceBiotech.
  8. 1 2 Behar, Michael (23 May 2014). "Can the Nervous System Be Hacked?". The New York Times.
  9. ↑ Hollowell, Ashleigh (29 January 2024). "Stepping up the fight: Hospital execs urged to intensify sepsis care in 2024". Becker's Hospital Review | Healthcare News & Analysis. Retrieved 4 November 2025.
  10. ↑ "Kevin Tracey Feinstein receives $3.7M NIH grant for bioelectronic medicine research - AIMBE" . Retrieved 7 November 2025.
  11. ↑ Tracey, Kevin (24 October 1986). "Shock and tissue injury induced by recombinant human cachectin" . Science. 234 (4775): 470–474. Bibcode:1986Sci...234..470T. doi:10.1126/science.3764421. PMID   3764421 . Retrieved 9 June 2021.
  12. ↑ Tracey, K. J. (2009). "Reflex control of immunity". Nature Reviews. Immunology. 9 (6): 418–428. doi:10.1038/nri2566. PMC   4535331 . PMID   19461672.
  13. ↑ Carlson, Emily (September 2010). "Up Close With: Kevin Tracey" (PDF). Findings. Office of Communications and Public Liaison National Institute of General Medical Sciences. pp. 9–16. Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 July 2018.
  14. ↑ Jong, Roh; Dong, Sohn (13 August 2018). "Damage-Associated Molecular Patterns in Inflammatory Diseases". Immune Network. 18 (4): e27. doi:10.4110/in.2018.18.e27. PMC   6117512 . PMID   30181915.
  15. ↑ Finley, Allysia (22 July 2022). "Electricity Is the New Medical Miracle". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 25 August 2022.
  16. ↑ "Reflex Circuits in Immunity: Bioelectronic Medicine". www.kidneynews.org. 1 October 2016. Retrieved 25 November 2025.
  17. ↑ "New Implant Offers Hope for Easing Rheumatoid Arthritis". 31 July 2025. Retrieved 3 December 2025.
  18. ↑ Rosas-Ballina, M., et al. "Acetylcholine-Synthesizing T Cells Relay Neural Signals in a Vagus Nerve Circuit". Science, vol. 334, no. 6052, 2011, pp. 98–101., doi:10.1126/science.1209985.
  19. ↑ Holme, Frida (May 2018). "Scientists Wants to Decode Body-Brain Nerve Signals to Diagnose Illness". Frontline Genomics. Archived from the original on 10 April 2019. Retrieved 10 April 2019.
  20. ↑ Zeller, Gregory (February 2019). "Tracey, Global Team Unearth New Bioelectronic Clue". InnovateLI.
  21. ↑ "Researchers Discover Possible Pathway of Vagus Nerve's Inflammatory Response". Pain Medicine News. Retrieved 9 June 2021.
  22. ↑ Dolgin, Elie (8 May 2025). "Quieting inflammation with a shock to the system" . Science. 388 (6747): 594. Bibcode:2025Sci...388..594D. doi:10.1126/science.adx0889.
  23. ↑ Henderson, Paul (22 April 2025). "Five ways to exercise the vagus nerve and cure your anxiety". The Telegraph. ISSN   0307-1235 . Retrieved 22 July 2025.
  24. ↑ "AIMBE College of Fellows Class of 2020". AIMBE. American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering. Retrieved 14 July 2022.
  25. ↑ "Dr Honoris Causa | Faculty of Science and Medicine | University of Fribourg". www.unifr.ch. Retrieved 9 December 2025.
  26. ↑ Maria Sjögren. "Honorary doctors at Karolinska Institutet 2009 – Prizes and Awards – Karolinska Institutet". Ki.se. Retrieved 7 February 2013.
  27. ↑ "The Harvey Society: Lecture Series". The Harvey Society. Retrieved 6 February 2019.
  28. ↑ "The Association of American Physicians". The Association of American Physicians. Retrieved 12 February 2019.
  29. ↑ "ISI Highly Cited Researchers".
  30. ↑ Baas, Jeroen; Klavans, Richard; Boyack, Kevin; Ioannidis, John P. A. (2019). "Bibliometrics". Supplementary data tables for "A standardized citation metrics author database annotated for scientific field" (PLoS Biology 2019). Vol. 1. Mendeley. doi:10.17632/btchxktzyw.1 . Retrieved 29 September 2019.
  31. ↑ "Highly Cited Researchers 2019". PLOS Biology. 2019. doi: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3000386 . PMC   6684038 . PMID   31386655.
  32. ↑ "2007 Stetten Lecture – Physiology and Immunology of the Cholinergic Anti-inflammatory Pathway". NIH National Institute of General Medical Sciences. Retrieved 8 February 2019.
  33. ↑ "Kevin Tracey". Google Scholar. Retrieved 12 December 2025.
  34. ↑ "Tracey KJ PubMed Publications" . Retrieved 2 November 2021.
  35. ↑ "Bioelectronic Medicine". Springer Nature. Retrieved 6 February 2019.
  36. ↑ "Journal of Experimental Medicine". Rockefeller University Press. Retrieved 6 February 2019.
  37. ↑ "Molecular Medicine Editorial Board". Springer Nature. Retrieved 6 February 2019.
  38. ↑ US20250144449A1,Pavlov, Valentin A.; Palandira, Santhoshi Poonacha& Tracey, Kevin J.,"Stimulation of the celiac-superior mesenteric ganglion complex for treating inflammation",issued 8 May 2025
  39. ↑ US20250073317A1,Chavan, Sangeeta S.&Tracey, Kevin J.,"Choline acetyltransferase as a therapy for endotoxemia, sepsis, colitis and inflammatory diseases",issued 6 March 2025
  40. ↑ US20240197867A1,Chavan, Sangeeta S.&Tracey, Kevin J.,"Neural control of adaptive immunity",issued 20 June 2024
  41. ↑ US11872371B2,Zanos, Theodoros; Levy, Todd& Battinelli, Emilyet al.,"Systems and methods for real-time monitoring of physiological biomarkers through nerve signals and uses thereof",issued 16 January 2024
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