Nemours Announces New Leader and Vision to Advance Pediatric Health Research
Jacksonville, FL (December 5, 2018) – Nemours Children’s Health System announced today the appointment of Mary M. Lee, MD, as Enterprise Chief Scientific Officer for the multi-state pediatric health system. Dr. Lee, who has served Nemours as an Enterprise Vice President and Physician-in-Chief of Delaware Valley Operations since April, is being tapped in this new role to oversee and lead the organization’s efforts in developing better treatments and new cures to help tomorrow’s children.
“We have a strong foundation of pediatric research at Nemours. The appointment of a scientist of Dr. Lee’s stature underscores our deepening commitment to research excellence,” said R. Lawrence Moss, MD, president and CEO of Nemours Children’s Health System. “Dr. Lee’s leadership will usher in Nemours’ next phase of growth in academic medicine and help to expand the impact of our research program.”
Nemours’ research operations have been a pillar of the organization’s efforts in battling disease and improving the lives of children by helping to advance life-changing medical care. In addition to a strong commitment to basic science and clinical research, Nemours has been a leader in digital health, with nearly 30 years of continuous electronic health records, and a telemedicine infrastructure. While these tools have been primarily tapped for clinical care, Nemours’ research has begun to identify novel ways to utilize these tools to make pediatric research more efficient, as well as reduce the burdens on patients and families.
“In order to provide the best care possible for children and to be a world-class children’s health system, we need to couple the delivery of state-of-the-art patient centered care with rigorous scientific inquiry and discovery research,” said Lee. “I am excited to advance these efforts and further embed discovery and innovation in our clinical practice to help us to transform pediatric healthcare.”
Prior to joining Nemours, Dr. Lee served as Physician-in-Chief, and Professor and Stoddard Chair of Pediatrics at UMass Memorial Children's Medical Center and University of Massachusetts Medical School. She brings strong operational, financial and strategic leadership experience to Nemours, having served for 13 years in academic, clinical and administrative leadership roles. Dr. Lee has a significant history of funded and published research, faculty recruitments and promotions and is nationally recognized for her research in the field of endocrinology and her keen interest in mentoring others.
Beyond her professional appointments, Dr. Lee has invested her time and energy in the scientific community having chaired several study sections at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and served on the Scientific Advisory Council for National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences at NIH. She is the immediate past-president of the Pediatric Endocrine Society, a past-president of the American Society of Andrology, and is an active member of the Association of Medical School Pediatric Department Chairs, American Pediatric Society, and the Society for Pediatric Research. She has also routinely been recognized among the Best Doctors of America (2005-2018), and Top Pediatricians in America (2012-2015).