NEW YORK, October 20, 2008 – Famed cell biologist Dr. Elaine Fuchs, the Rebecca C. Lancefield Professor of Mammalian Cell Biology and Development at Rockefeller University, will deliver the Third Annual Sharon Cosloy-Edward Blank Lecture at The City College of New York (CCNY) 3:30 p.m. Thursday, November 6, in Room 95, Shepard Hall.  Her topic will be “Stem Cells of the Skin: Their Biology & Medical Promise.”  A reception will follow the lecture in Room 150, Shepard Hall.

Dr. Fuchs, an expert on the biology and molecular mechanisms of mammalian skin and skin diseases, is known for revolutionizing the study of skin, identifying the molecular mechanisms underlying skin disease, developing the field of skin stem cells, and pioneering reverse genetics.  Her research has helped modernize the field of dermatology. 

A Chicago native who holds a B.S. in Chemistry from University of Illinois and a Ph.D. in Biochemistry from Princeton University, Dr. Fuchs has been a member of the Rockefeller University faculty since 2002.  She previously was Amgen Professor of Molecular Genetics and Cell Biology at the University of Chicago, where she had served on the faculty since 1980.

Among her numerous awards and honors are memberships in: the National Academy of Sciences, Institute of Medicine and American Academy of Arts & Sciences.  In 2006, she received the FASEB (Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology) Excellence in Science Award and in 2004 she was chosen for the University of Pittsburgh’s Dickson Prize for Medicine. 

The Cosloy-Blank Lecture was established in memory of Professor Cosloy, former Chair of CCNY’s Biology Department, by her husband, Edward Blank.  It is presented by CCNY President Dr. Gregory H. Williams and the CCNY Department of Biology.

About The City College of New York

For more than 160 years, The City College of New York has provided low-cost, high-quality education for New Yorkers in a wide variety of disciplines.  Over 15,000 students pursue undergraduate and graduate degrees in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences; The School of Architecture, Urban Design and Landscape Architecture (SAUDLA); The School of Education; The Grove School of Engineering, and The Sophie Davis School of Biomedical Education.  For additional information, visit www.ccny.cuny.edu.