Marion Sewer

Marion Sewer (1972–2017) was an American pharmacologist and biochemist known for her significant contributions to the field of lipid and steroid research. She was a distinguished professor at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) and a dedicated advocate for diversity in the STEM fields.

Early Life and Education

Marion Sewer was born in 1972. She pursued her undergraduate studies at Spelman College, a historically black college in Atlanta, Georgia, where she majored in Biochemistry. She then went on to earn her Ph.D. in Pharmacology from Emory University in 1999.

Career

After completing her Ph.D., Sewer completed her postdoctoral training at Vanderbilt University in the Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics. In 2003, she joined the faculty of the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Pharmacology. She was promoted to Associate Professor in 2009 and to full Professor in 2015.

Sewer's research focused on the regulation of steroid hormone biosynthesis, specifically the role of lipids and lipoproteins in this process. Her work has significantly advanced our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying steroid hormone biosynthesis and has implications for a range of diseases, including Cushing's syndrome, congenital adrenal hyperplasia, and polycystic ovary syndrome.

Advocacy

In addition to her research, Sewer was a passionate advocate for diversity in the STEM fields. She served on the Diversity Committee of the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB) and was a member of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Working Group on Diversity in the Biomedical Research Workforce.

Death

Marion Sewer died unexpectedly in 2017 at the age of 44.

Legacy

Sewer's contributions to the field of pharmacology and her advocacy for diversity in STEM continue to have a significant impact. In her honor, the ASBMB established the Marion B. Sewer Distinguished Scholarship for Undergraduates, which provides financial support to students pursuing degrees in the molecular life sciences.

See Also

• Pharmacology
• Biochemistry
• Steroid
• Lipid

External Links

• University of California, San Diego
• American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology