Transmission of Misfolded Proteins as a Novel Disease Mechanism for Neurodegenerative Disorders

Virginia Lee, Ph.D., Professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine and Co-Director of the Marian S. Ware Center for Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Program at the Perelman School of Medicine

Dr. Lee joined the faculty of the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine in 1981, where she rose to the rank of Professor in 1989. While a Penn faculty member, Dr. Lee entered the Executive M.B.A. program at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania (1982-1984) and obtained her M.B.A. degree from Wharton in 1984. She was named the John H. Ware 3rd Professor in Alzheimer's Research in 1999. Dr. Lee's research focuses on the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), frontotemporal dementias (FTDs) and related neurodegenerative disorders of aging. Research advances that have emerged from Dr. Lee's work over the past 15 years have enhanced prospects for the discovery of new and better therapies for AD, PD, FTDs and other neurodegenerative disorders caused by abnormal filamentous aggregates of brain proteins, and Dr. Lee continues to make seminal contributions to understanding mechanisms underlying these disorders.

The luncheon is at 12:00 noon on Wednesday, April 10, 2013 in the Lenape Room of the University Club.