Author: Jan Vilcek

Jan Vilcek

Jan Vilcek


Jan Vilček is a professor in the Department of Microbiology at the New York University School of Medicine, and Chairman and CEO of The Vilček Foundation. A native of Bratislava, Dr. Vilček graduated from Comenius University Medical School, Bratislava in 1957 followed by a Ph.D. in Virology from the Academy of Sciences in 1962. In 1965, he and his wife emigrated to the United States, and have since lived in New York City where he has devoted his scientific career to studies of soluble mediators that regulate the immune system (cytokines), including interferon and tumour necrosis factor (TNF). His distinguished career included a long-term collaboration with the biotechnology company Centocor, later acquired by Johnson & Johnson and renamed Janssen Biotech. Vilček helped to develop the drug known commercially as Remicade, an anti-inflammatory agent used in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn’s disease and many other autoimmune inflammatory diseases. This drug has benefitted more than 3 million patients. With the royalties from the sales of his patented drugs, he and his wife established the Vilček Foundation, which raises public awareness of the contribution of immigrants to professional, academic and artistic life in the United States. Dr. Vilček’s many honours include the National Medal of Technology and Innovation awarded to him by President Barack Obama in 2013.