The Presidential Assistant Professor of Cell and Developmental Biology

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Supported in part by The Pew Charitable Trusts, Presidential Professorships are awarded to exceptional scholars of any rank who will contribute to the diverse experiences, perspectives, and eminence of Penn faculty. They were established in 2011 to strengthen the University’s ability to recruit, retain and mentor distinguished scholars who are preeminent in their fields and have demonstrated a commitment to sustaining an inclusive and vibrant academic community.

 

Morris-Blanco photoCurrent Chairholder 

Kahlilia Morris-Blanco, PhD

Kahlilia Morris-Blanco, PhD joined the Department of Cell and Developmental Biology at the Perelman School of Medicine as a Presidential Assistant Professor in January 2023. The focus of her lab is to investigate epigenetic and mitochondrial mechanisms involved in stroke pathophysiology by employing a combination of genetics, biochemistry, molecular biology, and neuroscience techniques. Dr. Morris-Blanco is especially interested in using these mechanistic studies to develop novel treatment strategies, with the goal of translating epigenetic therapies to the clinic. 

Dr. Morris-Blanco has a long-standing interest in neuroprotective mechanisms following stroke. She completed her PhD at the University of Miami in the Cerebrovascular Disease Research Center in the Department of Neurology where her research was focused on determining the role of post-translational modifications to mitochondrial proteins in stroke neuroprotection. Her postdoctoral training in the Department of Neurosurgery at the University of Wisconsin-Madison investigated epigenetic mechanisms involved in promoting brain recovery after stroke. 

Dr. Morris-Blanco has won numerous awards and fellowships including the American Heart Association Career Development Award, the BRAIN Early Career Investigator Award, and the Edward J. Green Memorial Award (for scholarship, citizenship, service, and dedication to Neuroscience). She is also the youngest member of the editorial board for the journal Stroke, the flagship journal of the American Stroke Association.