ORLANDO, Fla., May 14, 2013 – Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute at Lake Nona (Sanford-Burnham) announced the recruitment of the internationally renowned genomic scientist László Nagy, M.D., Ph.D., to serve as professor and program director in its Diabetes and Obesity Research Center. He will join the Institute in October to lead a new cross-platform research program that will help accelerate discoveries at the Institute's Orlando campus. Nagy is currently professor and head of the Center for Clinical Genomics and Personalized Medicine at the University of Debrecen Medical and Health Science Center in Hungary.
"László is an international expert in studies of how genes are turned on and off in different cell types and at different times, particularly in response to hormones. He's also made valuable contributions to our understanding of the roles these processes play in the development of common metabolic diseases," said Daniel Kelly, M.D., director of Sanford-Burnham's Diabetes and Obesity Research Center and scientific director of the Institute's Lake Nona campus. "He will apply his expertise in genomics to decipher the complexity of processes driving cancer, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes, a first step toward personalizing our approach to therapies."
About László Nagy
Nagy uses systems-based molecular biology approaches, including epigenetics, to unravel the cellular communication networks regulated by nuclear hormone receptors. Nuclear hormone receptors are proteins that directly bind to DNA to turn genes on or off in response to hormones or other signals. Some of these receptors play key roles in immunity and inflammation. Nagy's team is looking for ways to influence nuclear hormone receptors as a therapeutic strategy to alleviate infectious and chronic inflammatory diseases.
"I am thrilled about the opportunity to join Sanford-Burnham. The Institute's commitment to technology-driven research programs and deep basic research expertise perfectly complement my background in genomics and nuclear hormone receptor research," Nagy said. "As head of the new research program, I hope to help advance the Institute's goal of developing new treatment strategies for metabolic diseases."
Nagy received his M.D. and Ph.D. from the University of Debrecen's Faculty of Medicine in Hungary. He received postdoctoral training at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, and later at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies in La Jolla, Calif. Nagy has held appointments at the University of Debrecen since 1999. He will remain on the faculty there as an adjunct professor.
Nagy is the recipient of numerous awards, including a Boehringer Ingelheim Research Award, a Wellcome Trust Senior Research Fellowship in Biomedical Sciences, and three Howard Hughes Medical Institute International Research Scholar Awards. He was also elected EMBO (European Molecular Biology Organization) Young Investigator in 2000 and a member of EMBO and the Hungarian Academy of Sciences in 2007. He became a member of Academia Europaea (The Academy of Europe) in 2012.
About Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute
Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute is dedicated to discovering the fundamental molecular causes of disease and devising the innovative therapies of tomorrow. Sanford-Burnham takes a collaborative approach to medical research with major programs in cancer, neurodegeneration, diabetes, and infectious, inflammatory, and childhood diseases. The Institute is recognized for its National Cancer Institute-designated Cancer Center and expertise in drug discovery technologies. Sanford-Burnham is a nonprofit, independent institute that employs 1,200 scientists and staff in San Diego (La Jolla), California, and Orlando (Lake Nona), Florida. For more information, visit us at sanfordburnham.org