Wikipedia

Ka Yee Christina Lee

Ka Yee Christina Lee is Hong Kong-born American chemist. She is Executive Vice President for Strategic Initiatives and the David Lee Shillinglaw Distinguished Service Professor in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Chicago. She works on membrane biophysics, including protein–lipid interactions, Alzheimer's disease and respiratory distress syndrome. She is a Fellow of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering and American Physical Society.

Ka Yee Christina Lee
利嘉宜
Born1964 (age 59–60)
Hong Kong
Other namesLee Ka-yee
EducationBrown University (BS)
Harvard University (MS, PhD)
Scientific career
FieldsApplied physics
InstitutionsStanford University
University of California, Santa Barbara
University of Chicago
Thesis Optical Studies of Capillary Waves at Liquid-Vapor Interfaces
Doctoral advisorEric Mazur
WebsiteOfficial website

Early life and education

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Lee was born in Hong Kong.[citation needed] Lee completed her bachelor's degree in electrical engineering at Brown University in 1986. She joined Harvard University for her graduate studies in applied physics, earning her master's in 1987 and PhD in 1992.[1] She worked under the supervision of Eric Mazur on liquid-vapour interfaces. Lee was a postdoctoral researcher with Harden M. McConnell at Stanford University and with A. J. Waring at the University of California, Santa Barbara.[2][3]

Research and career

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Lee joined the department of chemistry at the University of Chicago in 1998, and was made a full professor in 2008.[4] She has made significant contributions to the understanding of molecular behaviour in lipid films. She investigates the functionality of lung surfactant, mechanisms of antimicrobial peptides, sealing effects of polymers and recognition of lipids in receptors that regulate immunity.[5][6] She looks to control biomembranes that can mimic real-life systems to understand Alzheimer's disease and respiratory distress syndrome.[7] Lee uses microscopy, x-ray and neutron scattering to establish the interactions of lipids and proteins.[8][9][10]

Lung surfactant, a lipid-protein mixture, forms at the alveolar air-water interface.[7] A lack of surfactant in premature infants can result in infant respiratory distress syndrome (RDS). In an effort to improve interventions for patients with RDS, Lee's research group look to identify the relationships between structure and function in lung surfactant, as well as establishing how the surfactant interacts with nearby proteins.[7][11][12] She also studies the role of amyloid beta, a residue generated by the processing of the amyloid precursor protein, and Alzheimer's disease.[7] The Lee group look to establish a model for Ab aggregation, identifying which Ab isoforms are associated with Alzheimer's disease pathology.[7] She has also studied the mechanisms that allow the formation of the myelin sheath. Using transmission electron microscopy, her group studied the self-assembly of myelin lipids into tubules and subsequent transition into lamellar.[13] Using atomic force microscopy the Lee group monitored the interactions of antimicrobial peptides with biomembranes.[13][14] She demonstrated that peptides share a common interaction which is driven by membrane line tension reduction.[15]

Her research group developed a self-healing gel that works underwater; a synthetic version of the substance that mussels use to anchor to rocks in the ocean.[16][17] Mussels contain byssal threads, which resist material failure by limiting crack propagation.[18] The Lee group identified ways to control the crosslinking of catechol and Fe3+ using pH.[18] Her group went on to study the mechanical properties of hydrogels regulated by pH, demonstrating it is possible to design a range of synthetic materials using mimicry of mussel proteins.[19]

Lee has also demonstrated that geometric tools can be used to study complex and non-linear biological interfaces.[20][21] She showed that thin elastic membranes can adopt both periodically wrinkled or folded morphologies. When compression of membranes exceeds one third of their 'wrinkled wavelength', the membranes fold, eventually transforming into a symmetry-broken state that looks crumpled.[21]

Academic service and advocacy

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Lee served as director of the National Science Foundation Materials Research Science and Engineering Center.[22] Lee is committed to increasing opportunities for women and minority students to take part in scientific research, and regularly hosts students for summer research programs.[23] Lee is an advocate for women in science, and was a founding member of the Chicago Collaboration on Women in Science.[24][25] The collaboration supports women faculty members in Northwestern University and the University of Chicago.

Lee served as a member of the steering committees of the University of Chicago centres in Beijing and Hong Kong.[26][27][28][29] Lee was appointed vice provost for research in August 2018.[30] In that capacity, she worked with faculty and deans to enhance and expand research activities at the University, and oversaw large-scale research structures, including University Research Administration, University of Chicago Consortium for Advanced Science and Engineering(CASE), Office of Research Safety, Research Computing Center and Research Development Support.[30]

Lee was appointed provost of the University of Chicago on January 7, 2020, and began her term on February 1.[31] She stepped away from the role in March 2023 to assume the position of executive vice president for strategic initiatives at the university.[32]

Awards and honors

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References

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  1. ^ "Ka Yee Lee | University of Chicago Department of Chemistry". chemistry.uchicago.edu. Retrieved 2019-03-06.
  2. ^ "Ka Yee C. Lee | Research and National Laboratories". researchinnovation.uchicago.edu. Retrieved 2019-03-06.
  3. ^ Lipp, M. M.; Lee, K. Y. C.; Takamoto, D. Y.; Zasadzinski, J. A.; Waring, A. J. (1998-08-24). "Coexistence of Buckled and Flat Monolayers". Physical Review Letters. 81 (8): 1650–1653. Bibcode:1998PhRvL..81.1650L. doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.81.1650. S2CID 40567888.
  4. ^ "University of Chicago faculty researcher Ka Yee Christina Lee to deliver Kritzler Lecture". Ohio Northern University. 2017-02-15. Archived from the original on 2019-03-07. Retrieved 2019-03-06.
  5. ^ "Ka Yee Lee | Office of the Provost". provost.uchicago.edu. Archived from the original on 2019-03-07. Retrieved 2019-03-06.
  6. ^ Sara (2016-02-21), Ka Yee Lee, University of Chicago | Talk: Structure and Activities of Upid Membranes, retrieved 2019-03-06
  7. ^ a b c d e "The Faculty | Chicago Biophysics | University of Chicago". biophysics.uchicago.edu. Retrieved 2019-03-06.
  8. ^ a b "Lee, Ka Yee C." The David and Lucile Packard Foundation. Retrieved 2019-03-06.
  9. ^ Lee, Ka Yee. "The Interplay Between Membrane Structure and Protein Interactions". Grantome.
  10. ^ Gopal, Ajaykumar; Lee, Ka Yee C. (October 2001). "Morphology and Collapse Transitions in Binary Phospholipid Monolayers". The Journal of Physical Chemistry B. 105 (42): 10348–10354. doi:10.1021/jp012532n. ISSN 1520-6106.
  11. ^ Wu, Cindy W; Seurynck, Shannon L; Lee, Ka Yee C; Barron, Annelise E (November 2003). "Helical Peptoid Mimics of Lung Surfactant Protein C". Chemistry & Biology. 10 (11): 1057–1063. doi:10.1016/j.chembiol.2003.10.008. ISSN 1074-5521. PMID 14652073.
  12. ^ Takamoto, D Y; Lipp, M M; von Nahmen, A; Lee, K Y; Waring, A J; Zasadzinski, J A (2001). "Interaction of lung surfactant proteins with anionic phospholipids". Biophysical Journal. 81 (1): 153–69. Bibcode:2001BpJ....81..153T. doi:10.1016/S0006-3495(01)75688-3. OCLC 678963870. PMC 1301500. PMID 11423403.
  13. ^ a b "Lee Lab, University of Chicago". leelab.uchicago.edu. Retrieved 2019-03-06.
  14. ^ Gidalevitz, David; Ishitsuka, Yuji; Muresan, Adrian S.; Konovalov, Oleg; Waring, Alan J.; Lehrer, Robert I.; Lee, Ka Yee C. (2003). "Interaction of antimicrobial peptide protegrin with biomembranes". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 100 (11). National Academy of Sciences: 6302–7. Bibcode:2003PNAS..100.6302G. doi:10.1073/pnas.0934731100. OCLC 678735776. PMC 164441. PMID 12738879.
  15. ^ Henderson, J. Michael; Waring, Alan J.; Separovic, Frances; Lee, Ka Yee C. (November 2016). "Antimicrobial Peptides Share a Common Interaction Driven by Membrane Line Tension Reduction". Biophysical Journal. 111 (10): 2176–2189. Bibcode:2016BpJ...111.2176H. doi:10.1016/j.bpj.2016.10.003. ISSN 0006-3495. PMC 5113125. PMID 27851941.
  16. ^ "Ka Yee Christina Lee Universal Solvent No Match for New Self-Healing Sticky Gel - AIMBE". Retrieved 2019-03-06.
  17. ^ "Scientists Create Glue Inspired by Mussels". VOA. Retrieved 2019-03-06.
  18. ^ a b Waite, J. Herbert; Lee, Ka Yee C.; Messersmith, Phillip B.; Lee, Bruce P.; Birkedal, Henrik; Harrington, Matthew J.; Holten-Andersen, Niels (2011-02-15). "pH-induced metal-ligand cross-links inspired by mussel yield self-healing polymer networks with near-covalent elastic moduli". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 108 (7): 2651–2655. Bibcode:2011PNAS..108.2651H. doi:10.1073/pnas.1015862108. ISSN 0027-8424. PMC 3041094. PMID 21278337.
  19. ^ Barrett, Devin G.; Fullenkamp, Dominic E.; He, Lihong; Holten-Andersen, Niels; Lee, Ka Yee C.; Messersmith, Phillip B. (2012-10-02). "pH-Based Regulation of Hydrogel Mechanical Properties Through Mussel-Inspired Chemistry and Processing". Advanced Functional Materials. 23 (9): 1111–1119. doi:10.1002/adfm.201201922. ISSN 1616-301X. PMC 3589528. PMID 23483665.
  20. ^ Cerda, Enrique; Lee, Ka Yee C.; Lin, Binhua; Holten-Andersen, Niels; Leahy, Brian; Pocivavsek, Luka (2009). "Geometric tools for complex interfaces: From lung surfactant to the mussel byssus". Soft Matter. 5 (10): 1963–1968. Bibcode:2009SMat....5.1963P. CiteSeerX 10.1.1.508.8189. doi:10.1039/b817513f. hdl:10533/132242. ISSN 1744-683X.
  21. ^ a b Cerda, Enrique; Lee, Ka Yee C.; Lin, Binhua; Johnson, Sebastián; Kern, Andrew; Dellsy, Robert; Pocivavsek, Luka (2008-05-16). "Stress and Fold Localization in Thin Elastic Membranes". Science. 320 (5878): 912–916. Bibcode:2008Sci...320..912P. doi:10.1126/science.1154069. hdl:10533/139528. ISSN 0036-8075. PMID 18487188. S2CID 31836039.
  22. ^ Lee, Ka Yee; Gardel, Margaret. "Materials Research Science and Engineering Centers". Grantome.
  23. ^ Lee, Ka Yee. "The Interplay Between Membrane Structure and Protein Interactions". Grantome.
  24. ^ "Inaugural Arthur L. Kelly Prizes honor faculty members". University of Chicago News. Retrieved 2019-03-06.
  25. ^ "The Center for the Study of Gender and Sexuality: Research & Faculty | Projects". gendersexuality.uchicago.edu. Retrieved 2019-03-06.
  26. ^ "University of Chicago's HK campus opens its doors". chinadailyhk. Retrieved 2019-03-06.
  27. ^ "Faculty Advisory Board | Hong Kong | The University of Chicago". www.uchicago.hk. Archived from the original on 2019-03-07. Retrieved 2019-03-06.
  28. ^ "University of Chicago opens Hong Kong campus". University of Chicago News. Retrieved 2019-03-06.
  29. ^ "Ka Yee Christina Lee Inaugural Arthur L. Kelly Prizes Honor Faculty Members - AIMBE". Retrieved 2019-03-06.
  30. ^ a b "Ka Yee Lee named Vice Provost for Research | University of Chicago Department of Chemistry". chemistry.uchicago.edu. Retrieved 2019-03-06.
  31. ^ "Ka Yee C. Lee appointed provost of University of Chicago | University of Chicago News".
  32. ^ "Ka Yee C. Lee To Step Down From Role As Provost | The Chicago Maroon".
  33. ^ a b c Communications (2012-11-27). "Brown Engineering News: Phi Beta Kappa Visiting Scholar Ka Yee C. Lee to Come to Brown". Brown Engineering News. Retrieved 2019-03-06.
  34. ^ AvenueChicago, The University of ChicagoEdward H. Levi Hall5801 South Ellis; Us, Illinois 60637773 702 1234 Contact. "Llewellyn John and Harriet Manchester Quantrell Awards for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching". The University of Chicago. Retrieved 2019-03-06.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  35. ^ "APS Fellow Archive". www.aps.org. Retrieved 2019-03-06.
  36. ^ "Ka Yee Christina Lee, Ph.D. COF-1667 - AIMBE". Retrieved 2019-03-06.
  37. ^ "Foote awarded Kelly Prize | Division of the Physical Sciences | The University of Chicago". physical-sciences.uchicago.edu. Archived from the original on 2019-03-07. Retrieved 2019-03-06.
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