Rate My Professor Michael Kotlikoff

Michael I. Kotlikoff is the 15th president of Cornell University and professor of molecular physiology. The Cornell Board of Trustees appointed him president on March 21, 2025, following eight months as interim president. Previously, Kotlikoff was Cornell’s longest-serving provost, holding that office from August 2015 to June 2024. A member of the Cornell faculty since 2000, he served as the Austin O. Hooey Dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine from 2007 to 2015 and as founding chair of the Department of Biomedical Sciences. Kotlikoff was recruited to Cornell in 2000 from the University of Pennsylvania, where he was Professor and Chair of the Department of Animal Biology. He received his B.A. in literature magna cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania in 1973, his V.M.D. summa cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania in 1981, and his Ph.D. in physiology from the University of California, Davis in 1984.

Kotlikoff’s research focuses on cardiovascular biology and heart repair, including the development of genetic optical sensors and effectors for in vivo molecular physiology and the study of repair processes within the damaged heart. His laboratory has been continuously funded by the National Institutes of Health for over 35 years. As provost, Kotlikoff oversaw the creation of new colleges and departments, advanced interdisciplinary initiatives such as Radical Collaboration, and led efforts in teaching innovation, student life, and faculty diversity. He has received numerous awards and honors, including an honorary doctoral degree from City University of Hong Kong in 2019, and has served on editorial boards and NIH committees.