Peter Sarnow

Following his postdoctoral research, Sarnow became an assistant professor of molecular biology at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center from 1986 until 1991.^[2] Early into his tenure, he discovered internal ribosome entry sites in cellular mRNAs and established a program to examine mRNA-ribosome interactions in mammalian cells.^[3] He moved up the ranks at the institution before ultimately leaving in 1996 to join the faculty at Stanford University.^[2] During his early tenure at Stanford, Sarnow and his research team identified miR-122 as a necessary mechanism to cause the hepatitis C virus uses to replicate and grow.^[4] He was also appointed an editor of the Virology Journal and elected a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. In 2010, Sarnow was appointed chair of microbiology and immunology at Stanford.^[5]

Prior to being replaced as department chair by David Schneider,^[6] Sarnow also became a member of Stanford Bio-X, the Stanford Maternal Child Health Research Institute, and the Stanford Cancer Institute. In 2020, he was elected to the National Academy of Sciences.^[7]

Sarnow is married to Karla Kirkegaard.^[1]