Congratulations to IOA Co-Director Eddie Lee, MD, PhD, on being named Director of the Center for Neurodegenerative Disease Research (CNDR) at the University of Pennsylvania, following the leadership of Virginia M.-Y. Lee, PhD.
“Virginia is a generational inspiration. I have learned so much from her about science, how to approach leadership, and what it means to have an impact on the world,” says Dr. Lee. “Her work laid the foundation for the entire field of neurodegenerative diseases.”
In his new role as Director of CNDR, Dr. Lee will prioritize (1) enhancing pathology, biomarker, and genomic infrastructure, including digital pathology and AI, as well as modernization of the Integrated Neurodegenerative Disease Database (INDD); (2) scientific excellence and discovery, emphasizing a “mechanism-to-therapy” trajectory based on human pathology and human genetics; (3) industry and philanthropic partnerships to ensure strong and stable financial support for his team’s work; and (4) workforce development, including a focus on trainee development and the support of career scientists.
Looking ahead, Dr. Lee’s vision for CNDR is clear: “A world with effective interventions to prevent and cure aging-related neurodegenerative diseases.”
Additionally, Dr. Lee has also recently been elected to the American Society for Clinical Investigation (ASCI), a national honor society for physician scientists.