Francis Y. Lee, MD, PhD Receives 9th NIH R01 Grant
Francis Y. Lee, MD, PhD., Wayne O. Southwick Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery, Pathology, and Biomedical Engineering, Yale University, received his 9th major federal NIH R01 grant. The $2.5 million will allow Dr. Lee to study breast cancer-bone interactions and is intended to unravel impaired pathological fracture healing secondary to skeletal metastases. He is currently a tenured professor specializing in Musculoskeletal Oncology and researcher with special interest in bone inflammation and repair.
Dr. Lee immediately acknowledges OREF that open a long-term path to develop into an orthopaedic surgeon scientist. He also acknowledged the support of his departments at Columbia Orthopaedics, New York (1999-2016) and Yale Orthopaedics, New Haven (2016-Present).
Dr. Lee noted, “My $15,000 OREF Resident Research Grant in 1995 provided me an opportunity to learn Fracture Healing Research under the guidance of Dr. Thomas Einhorn who also received an OREF Career Development Award in 1986, ORS President in 1996, Past NIH Study Section Chair, Chair Emeritus, Boston University Orthopaedics and a prominent NIH-R01 orthopaedic surgeon scientist who made significant contributions in Fracture Healing. Beyond research funding, OREF provided numerous educational and networking opportunities through OREF/ORS/AAOS Grant Writing Workshop, Clinician Scientist Reception, Traveling Fellowship, Clinician Scholar Career Development Program, and ORS Meetings, all of which further enriched my early career to develop into a Clinician Scientist.”
Dr. Lee is a member of the OREF Board of Trustees and is Chair of the OREF Research Grants Committee. Dr. Lee noted, “My career path is not exceptional at all because 17 of the 23 OREF Career Development Award recipients from 2000 to 2019 subsequently received 35 NIH R01 grants totaling $92 million (view list). I express deep gratitude to donors to OREF that continuously support a new generation of Orthopaedic Surgeon Scholars.”
