Ernest Y.C. Lee, Ph.D., NYMC Alumni Chair in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Retires
Marina K. Holz, Ph.D., Dean of the GSBMS, Will Serve as Interim Chair, Ensuring Continuity and Leadership During the Transition Period
Upon the retirement of Ernest Y.C. Lee, Ph.D., professor and New York Medical College (NYMC) Alumni Chair in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Marina K. Holz, Ph.D., dean of the Graduate School of Basic Medical Sciences (GSBMS) and professor of cell biology and anatomy, will serve as interim chair of the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, effective December 1. Dr. Lee has been a valued and dedicated member of the basic sciences faculty since 1997.
Dr. Lee’s research has involved the study of phosphoprotein phosphates which are important regulatory enzymes in a variety of cellular processes.
During Dr. Lee’s more than 20-year tenure at NYMC, he worked to provide thousands of medical and graduate students with the important foundational knowledge in biochemistry and molecular biology needed to continue to advance in the scientific field and make lasting contributions to society. He remained committed to the development of the Department and its faculty members as well as building a community of scholars and researchers, striking a balance between educating students and generating high-level research.
In 2008, Dr. Lee became the first alumni-endowed chair and the first basic science-endowed chair in the history of the NYMC. The endowment was spearheaded by the School of Medicine Alumni Association with support from the Office of Development and Alumni Relations and solicited nearly $2 million from several NYMC alumni.
Dr. Lee received a B.Sc. and B.Sc. Hons. from the University of Cape Town, South Africa, and a Ph.D. in organic chemistry from the University of London Royal Free Hospital School of Medicine. He completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Miami School of Medicine and another at the University of Washington in Seattle.
Prior to joining the NYMC community, Dr. Lee served as professor of biochemistry at the University of Miami School of Medicine and as an established investigator for the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and the American Heart Association.
“In his many years as the chair of the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Dr. Lee has been a fierce advocate for his faculty and an influential force for teaching and research,” said Dr. Holz, who will be taking the helm of the department.
