Training

Dr. Lee worked in the private sector before completing his Bachelor of Science (Honors) in Biology at the University of Toronto with a major in Infectious Disease. He subsequently completed his Master of Science degree in the Department of Microbiology at the University of Toronto.

Dr. Lee then left Canada and worked in the private sector in Britain for two years before pursuing a Ph.D. degree at the University of Glasgow in immunity to infectious agents.  His thesis project related to modulation of the host immune response by infectious agents. 

After completing his Ph.D., Dr. Lee returned to Canada for post-doctoral training first in the Department of Pathology at McMaster University and subsequently in the Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases at the University of Calgary.  Both of these Departments were clinical departments with strong basic science research components.  During these post-doctoral years Dr. Lee completed short projects at  the United States Department of Agriculture in Beltsville Maryland and at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore.

Dr. Lee was appointed as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (Immunology Research Group) at the University of Calgary in 1987.  In 1991, Dr. Lee joined the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at Dalhousie University as an Associate Professor with a joint appointment in the Department of Surgery. Dr. Lee was appointed a full Professor in both of these Departments 1997.  Dr. Lee has developed extensive links with clinical staff in the Department of Surgery as well as in the Department of Pathology where he was cross appointed at the level of Professor in 2001.  

Key influences in Dr. Lee's career were his early exposure to the private sector, and his later exposure to clinical departments.  The experience gained in these environments stimulated his interest in clinically relevant basic research.
    

Teaching accomplishments

Dr. Lee is a respected teacher with a record of innovation.  He teaches Immunology to basic science undergraduate students, medical students and Residents in both the Surgery and Pathology Royal College Residency programs.

Dr. Lee has been awarded the "Professor of the Year" award by the Dalhousie Medical Students four times, and named an Academic All-Canadian Mentor five times, in the last 10 years.  He was awarded the David T. Jannigan teaching award in 2009. He has also been awarded the Dalhousie Alumni Association Award for Teaching Excellence, the highest award Dalhousie University bestows on its teachers.  In 1998 Dr. Lee was selected by the University Presidents in Atlantic Canada as the recipient of the Atlantic Universities Distinguished Professor Award. Recently Dr. Lee was nominated by Dalhousie University for the prestigious "3M Award for Innovation in Teaching", Dr. Lee has twice been awarded the "Faculty Appreciation Award" by the students in his home Department of Microbiology and Immunology.  More details of Dr. Lee's teaching can be found in the "for students" section of this web site.

Research

Dr. Lee maintains an active research program in the area of immune modulation and immunopathology.  The majority of his research is focused on solid organ transplantation but he has also developed a program in novel therapeutics for breast cancer.

Dr. Lee has strong links with the private sector that funds a substantial amount of research in his laboratory (see abbreviated CV).  Dr. Lee is also the recipient of peer-reviewed research grants from a variety of agencies such as the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC), the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada and the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation.

More information about Dr. Lee's research program can be found in the research projects section of this web site.