As the world reacts to the proliferation of the novel coronavirus, the Sarah Lawrence Pre-Health Community Group and Pre-Health Program are thrilled to welcome back to campus alumnus and leading epidemiologist Dr. W. Ian Lipkin ’74 for an evening of conversation, moderated by biology faculty member Drew Cressman. Dr. Lipkin will focus on his current role helping China respond to the coronavirus, his experience identifying and combating viral outbreaks around the world, and how his Sarah Lawrence education helped connect his passions and forge a trailblazing career in the medical field. The event will be introduced by student co-chairs of the Sarah Lawrence Pre-Health Community Group, Pooja Vedmurthy ’20 and Mariah Lofgren ’21.
Registration is required for this event; register online
Dr. W. Ian Lipkin ’74 is the Director of the Center for Infection and Immunity at Columbia University, Mailman School of Public Health and is an international authority in the fields of epidemiology and outbreak response. In addition to his current leadership in responding to coronavirus, his more than 30-year career includes serving as a lead member of China’s response team to the SARS epidemic; being the first person to identify West Nile virus in the western hemisphere—an outbreak that caused encephalitis in populations in New York; and, currently, advising the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in addressing the challenge of MERS. During the height of the 1980s AIDS crisis, Dr. Lipkin identified AIDS-associated immunological abnormalities and inflammatory neuropathy, which he showed could be treated with plasmapheresis, and demonstrated that early life exposure to viral infections affects neurotransmitter function.
Dr. Lipkin also directs large programs focused on autism and chronic fatigue syndrome wherein gene-environment interactions are postulated to cause disease. He was the chief scientific consultant for the Soderbergh film "Contagion" and is currently working on a new series for AMC.
Light refreshments will be provided.
This event is co-sponsored by the Sarah Lawrence Pre-Health Community Group and Pre-Health Program.