Julie Forman-Kay

Julie Forman-Kay is a scientist at the Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) and professor at University of Toronto. Her research focuses on the dynamics, interactions, structures, and functions of intrinsically disordered proteins.

Early life and career

Forman-Kay obtained a degree in chemistry from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1985. She carried out her graduate studies at Yale University in the laboratory of Frederic M. Richards. She also worked at the National Institutes of Health in the lab of Angela Gronenborn and Marius Clore.

Forman-Kay joined the Hospital for Sick Children in 1992, where she is currently a Program Head and Senior Scientist and Senior Scientist in the Molecular Medicine program. Furthermore she is also the Co-Director of the Structural & Biophysical Core Facility. Forman-Kay is also currently a Professor in the Department of Biochemistry, at University of Toronto.

Research

Forman-Kay's research focuses on structural, functional, and bioinformatic studies of intrinsically disordered proteins using a combination of computational and experimental approaches. Her research has characterised the dynamic complexes of many disordered proteins and their ability to undergo liquid-liquid phase separation.

In 2021, Forman-Kay was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society.

Personal life

Forman-Kay is married to biochemist Lewis Kay and has two children. Forman-Kay is also a violinist and plays classical chamber music.