Presidential Associate Professor of Cell and Developmental Biology

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.

Current Chairholder

Damaris N. Lorenzo, PhD

Damaris N. Lorenzo, PhD joined the Department of Cell and Developmental Biology at the Perelman School of Medicine of the University of Pennsylvania as a Presidential Associate Professor in July 2022. She obtained her bachelor’s and master’s in biochemistry from the University of Havana, Cuba. Dr. Lorenzo earned her PhD in genetics, cell biology and development from the University of Minnesota and completed postdoctoral training in cell biology at Duke University before starting her independent career at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.  

The Lorenzo lab studies molecular mechanisms of the cytoskeleton with a focus on its role in disorders of the nervous system and metabolic dysregulation. Dr. Lorenzo has won numerous awards including the National Ataxia Foundation Young Investigator Award and the American Diabetes Association Junior Faculty Development Award. Her research program is supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health.