Alumna Betty Pace honors George Stamatoyannopoulos at annual lecture

Hosted by Medical Genetics, the annual George Stamatoyannopoulos Lecture was held on Friday June 2, 2023, featuring visiting speaker Dr. Betty S. Pace.

Dr. Pace is a Professor of Pediatrics and Francis J. Tedesco Distinguished Chair of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology at Augusta University. She is a former postdoctoral fellow in the lab of Dr. George Stamatoyannopoulos from 1990-1994. It was during this time as a fellow working with Dr. Stamatoyannopoulos that established her career trajectory as a molecular hematologist.

Currently, Dr. Pace provides leadership for a NIH-funded
basic/translational research laboratory, focused on studies related to globin gene regulation and the discovery of drugs, which induce fetal hemoglobin for treatment of sickle cell disease.

Her lecture was titled “Drug Repurposing Strategies for Treatment of Sickle Cell Disease”.

George Stamatoyannopoulos was a pioneering researcher of blood diseases whose discoveries and theories ushered in modern gene and cell therapies.

A full professor from 1973 until his death in 2018, he founded the Markey Molecular Medicine Center and was Chief of Medical Genetics from 1989-2005.