Dr. Kevin Campbell, professor and chair of molecular physiology and biophysics at the University of Iowa Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine, has been named a recipient of the 2025 Louisa Gross Horwitz Prize from Columbia University.
Dr. Campbell shares the award with researchers Louis Kunkel and Eric Olson for groundbreaking discoveries that revealed the biological causes of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) and established the foundation for breakthrough treatments for this and related muscular diseases.
DMD is a severe genetic disorder affecting approximately 1 in every 3,500 to 5,000 male births worldwide. The disease, caused by mutations in the dystrophin gene essential for muscle fiber stability, begins impairing mobility in adolescence and can progress rapidly, causing early death from heart and lung failure.
Dr. Campbell’s pioneering research revealed that dystrophin proteins form structural scaffolds with glycoproteins inside cells, and disrupting these scaffolds destabilizes muscle fibers. This discovery provided crucial insights into the biological causes of several forms of muscular dystrophy, with profound implications for diagnosis and treatment.
Over his four-decade career at the University of Iowa, Dr. Campbell’s work has created a scientific foundation for developing therapeutic approaches, including gene therapies that have demonstrated success in recovering muscle strength and function in animal models. These contributions have moved the medical community closer to translating molecular knowledge into clinical therapies.
As director of the Senator Paul D. Wellstone Muscular Dystrophy Specialized Research Center, Dr. Campbell has elevated the University of Iowa’s profile as a hub for advanced genetic research and therapeutic development. He also holds affiliations with the Iowa Neuroscience Institute and the Cardiovascular Research Center.
“Dr. Campbell’s legacy includes both his seminal research, as well as decades of mentorship that have shaped the next generation of physician scientists,” said Dr. Denise Jamieson, UI vice president for medical affairs and dean of the Carver College of Medicine, in a statement.
The Louisa Gross Horwitz Prize, established in 1967, recognizes groundbreaking work in medical science. Of the 118 Horwitz Prize winners to date, 55 have gone on to win Nobel Prizes. The 2025 prize lectures and dinner will take place in 2026, according to a news release.
