Laurie Glimcher

Laurie H. Glimcher is a prominent immunologist and the current President and CEO of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. She is also a Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and a Professor of Immunology at the Harvard School of Public Health.

Early Life and Education

Glimcher was born in New York City. She completed her undergraduate studies at Radcliffe College, where she received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Biology. She then went on to earn her MD from Harvard Medical School.

Career

After completing her medical degree, Glimcher completed her residency in internal medicine at the Massachusetts General Hospital. She then joined the National Institutes of Health (NIH) as a postdoctoral fellow, where she began her research in immunology.

In 1991, Glimcher joined the faculty of Harvard Medical School as a Professor of Medicine. She was the first woman to be appointed as a Professor of Medicine at Harvard. During her tenure at Harvard, she made significant contributions to the field of immunology, particularly in the area of T cell differentiation.

In 2016, Glimcher was appointed as the President and CEO of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, a leading cancer research and treatment center. She is the first woman to hold this position.

Research

Glimcher's research focuses on the molecular pathways that regulate the immune response. Her work has led to the discovery of several key proteins involved in the immune response, including the transcription factor XBP1, which plays a critical role in the development of plasma cells and the production of antibodies.

Awards and Honors

Glimcher has received numerous awards and honors for her contributions to the field of immunology, including the William B. Coley Award for Distinguished Research in Basic and Tumor Immunology and the Lasker Award for Basic Medical Research.