Peter Park is a distinguished figure in the field of computational biology, holding a prominent position in the Department of Biomedical Informatics at Harvard Medical School (HMS). His expertise lies in the intricate domains of epigenomics and cancer genomics, where he leverages computational approaches to unravel complex biological questions.
Dr. Park’s academic journey began at Harvard University, where he earned both his AB and SM degrees in applied mathematics in 1994. He continued his rigorous training at Caltech, culminating in a PhD in 1999 with a doctoral thesis focused on the numerical analysis of partial differential equations. While his initial training was deeply rooted in mathematics, Dr. Park’s intellectual curiosity led him to the burgeoning field of molecular biology and genomics. This pivotal shift occurred during his postdoctoral fellowship in the Department of Biostatistics at the Harvard School of Public Health, marking the beginning of his impactful career in computational biology.
His transition into a leading academic in biomedical research started in 2001 when he joined Children’s Hospital Boston as an instructor at Harvard Medical School. His dedication and contributions were quickly recognized, leading to promotions to assistant professor in 2006 and associate professor in 2010. Demonstrating his foundational role in shaping the academic landscape at Harvard, Dr. Park became a founding member of the Department of Biomedical Informatics in 2015. His exceptional scholarship and leadership were further acknowledged with his appointment to full professor in 2016.
Beyond his professorship, Peter Park takes on key leadership roles within Harvard’s extensive research ecosystem. He is the Director of the Bioinformatics and Integrative Genomics PhD program at HMS, shaping the next generation of computational biologists. Furthermore, he co-leads the Cancer Data Sciences Program at the Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center, a collaborative initiative aimed at leveraging data-driven approaches to combat cancer. His affiliations extend to the Division of Genetics at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and the Biological and Biomedical Sciences (BBS) PhD program at HMS, and he is also an affiliated member of the Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology, highlighting his broad engagement across leading research institutions.
Dr. Park’s influence extends to the academic publishing world as well. He serves on the editorial board of Bioinformatics, a leading journal in the field. He previously held the position of associate editor at BMC Bioinformatics and was a valued member of Faculty of 1000, reflecting his standing in the scientific community and his commitment to scholarly communication. His early career achievements were recognized through prestigious awards, including a Sloan Research Fellowship in 2010 and the Harvard Medical School Young Mentor Award in 2012.
Peter Park’s expertise and insights are frequently sought after at universities and conferences worldwide. He has presented at a diverse range of venues, including the Abcam conference on chromosome rearrangements/epigenetics, the Advances in Genome Biology and Technology conference, and the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting, among many others. His extensive list of speaking engagements, from AstraZeneca to Yale University, underscores his significant contributions and the broad impact of his work in computational biology and genomics.
Outside of his demanding professional life, Peter Park finds balance in his personal interests. He is a classical music enthusiast, a passion nurtured by his wife, Jeanie Lee, who is on the piano faculty at the New England Conservatory Preparatory School. Balancing his professional and personal life, he also dedicates time to his teenagers’ activities, showcasing a well-rounded and engaged individual both in and out of the lab.
