Meet Mark Lee, Ph.D.

Biography

Faculty Member Since 2002

Mark Lee, Ph.D., serves as special advisor to the president on academic innovation and strategic initiatives. Previously, he completed a two-year appointment as senior vice president for academic affairs, a role he began on July 1, 2025. During his tenure, Dr. Lee reported directly to the president and played a vital role in laying the groundwork for the College's next provost.

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Leadership Responsibilities
As senior vice president for academic affairs, Dr. Lee collaborated with faculty to update and strengthen faculty governance, modernize the curriculum, and enhance the effectiveness of academic affairs operations. He led the review, revision, and implementation of policies and procedures that supported strong academic outcomes while working closely with the president, faculty, board of trustees, chief financial officer, and other senior team leaders to shape decisions promoting faculty excellence, academic planning, and resource allocation.

Dr. Lee played a vital role in enriching the student experience and advancing initiatives that supported student success and integration, while helping to advance the college's strategic priorities during a pivotal moment in higher education.

Academic Leadership at Spelman
No stranger to Spelman College, Dr. Lee began his professional relationship with the institution as an adjunct instructor. That encounter led to becoming a tenure-track faculty member at Spelman in 2002. He served as chair of the biology department for seven years (2009-2016) and as associate chair from 2008-2009. His extensive experience includes serving as co-principal investigator for an initiative aimed at advancing Spelman's participation in informatics research and education.

His commitment to shared governance is demonstrated through his peer nominations to serve as a trustee of Spelman College, where he brought valuable insight into the higher education landscape and chaired a board committee charged with strengthening faculty-trustee engagement.

Educational Background and Research
Dr. Lee earned his bachelor's degree in chemistry from Morris Brown College before completing his doctorate in biochemistry at Clark Atlanta University, where he conducted research at Morehouse School of Medicine. His commitment to STEM education for underrepresented groups, especially women scientists, has been a driving force throughout his career.

Following his doctoral studies, Dr. Lee continued his scientific career at Emory University School of Medicine in the Winship Cancer Center (1996-1999) and later joined the research faculty in the pathology and laboratory medicine department (1999-2002), where his basic science research was funded by the National Institutes of Health and the National Cancer Institute.

Professional Collaborations and Recognition
Throughout his career, Dr. Lee has established extensive collaborations within the science education community, working with prestigious institutions and organizations including the Emory Fellowships in Research and Science Teaching Program, Albany State University, Michigan State University, Atlanta Public Schools, the American Association of Colleges and Universities, Project Kaleidoscope, New York University Faculty Resource Network, Quality Education for Minorities Network, Stanford Asilomar Conference for Online Education, and the National Academies Summer Institutes for Science Education.

His science education research is currently funded by the National Science Foundation, and he maintains active memberships in the American Association of Physics Teachers and the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. In 2020, Lee joined the third class of the Partnership for Undergraduate Life Sciences Education fellowship. PULSE, launched in 2012 by the National Science Foundation, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, and the National Institute for General Medical Sciences, works to help college professors improve the study of life sciences at colleges throughout the United States.

Vision for Academic Excellence

Dr. Lee brings to his new role a deep understanding of both the academic and administrative aspects of higher education, combined with extensive experience in faculty governance and a proven commitment to advancing educational excellence at Spelman College. His leadership will be instrumental in guiding the college through this important transition period while maintaining Spelman's tradition of academic distinction.

• Co-PI – NSF/HBCU-UP (#6-24120): ASPIRE: Advancing Spelman College’s Participation in Informatics Research and Education (2007-2013).
• External Advisory Committee Member, (RIMI/NIH/NIMHD, Albany State University), 2010-2014.
• Curriculum Committee, Chair - Undergraduate Health Sciences Academy/Morehouse School of Medicine, 2012.

Education

• Ph.D., Clark Atlanta University
• B.S., Morris Brown College

Courses Taught

• Bio 111 General Biology
• Bio 120 Cell Biology
• Bio 489 Biological Chemistry
• Bio 285 Sophomore/Senior Seminar
• Bio 485 Senior Seminar
• Bio 100 Biology of Women

Research Interests

As a researcher, the primary focus of my laboratory program is cell-mediated immunity as it relates to cytokine expression and immune responses.

Specific interests include the regulation of cytokines; use of RNA inhibition (RNAi) studies, specifically small interfering RNAs (siRNA) for the development of reagents useful in investigations involving the rhesus macaque model of AIDS; the antiviral effects of IL-16; and translation of these to cellular and cytokine therapeutic modalities.

Laboratory Research Interests
The primary focus of our laboratory program is the development of reagents suitable for use in vaccine development in primate models. Specific interests include the regulation of cytokines; use of RNA interference (RNAi) studies, specifically small interfering RNAs (siRNA) as a means of gene silencing.

These and other nucleic acids are being delivered using the amaxa, Inc Nucleofection technology. This approach is being used for the development of reagents useful in investigations involving the rhesus macaque model of AIDS; the structural and functional relationships of the inhibitory effects of IL-16; and translation of these to cellular and cytokine therapeutic modalities.

Select Publications

• Motivators and Barriers to Blood Donation in African American College Students With and Without a History of Prior Donation. DG Demmons, BH Shaz, CP Crittenden, CV Carnevale, ME Lee, M Burnett, K Easley, CD Hillyer. Transfusion and Apheresis Science, 2009, 41:191-197.
• Gene-Silencing of Reversion-Induced LIM Protein Compromises Responses to Interleukin-16. ME Lee, D Martin, T King, L Brown, M De Leon, KM Jackson, CM Woods. Proceedings of the International Society for Interferon and Cytokine Research and International Cytokine Society, 2008, 7:49-54.
• Suppression of T Lymphocyte Proliferation to Antigenic and Mitogenic Stimuli by Benzo(α)Pyrene and 2-Aminoflourene Metabolites. ME Lee and P Urso. Immunopharmocology and Immunotoxicology, 2007, 29:425-438.

News and Notes

Diverse Issues in Higher Education: HBCUs’ Relevance in Diversifying the STEM Workforce