The American Chemical Society has named the University of Chicago’s Ka Yee Lee the recipient of the 2009 Astellas USA Foundation Award. Lee, a Professor in Chemistry, also is a newly elected fellow of the American Physical Society.
The Astellas award, which includes a $30,000 research grant, is given to individuals who have made significant research contributions that improve public health through their work in the chemical and related sciences.
Lee has worked to unravel the mechanisms involved in the accumulation of beta-amyloid deposits in the brain. These accumulations are associated with the development and progression of Alzheimer’s disease, the seventh-leading cause of death in the United States.
In addition, she has investigated the mechanical role of substances in the lungs that reduce surface tension and prevent the collapse of air sacs in these vital organs. Her findings can help improve formulations for the treatment of neonatal respiratory distress syndrome, a common complication of premature birth.
A non-profit organization chartered by the U.S. Congress, the American Chemical Society is the world’s largest scientific society, with more than 154,000 members.
The American Physical Society cited Lee for her “discoveries of new morphologies and molecular behavior in model lipid films of biological and medical importance.”
American Physical Society fellowships recognize members who have made advances in knowledge through original research and publication or who made significant and innovative contributions in the application of physics to science and technology.
The American Physical Society is the leading professional organization of physicists, representing more than 47,000 national and international members in academia and industry. Each year, no more than one-half of 1 percent of the then-current society membership is recognized for election to the status of fellow by peer members.
For more information on Lee’s work, see http://experts.uchicago.edu/experts.php?id=505.