Dr. Francis Lee is designated the Southwick Professor
Dr. Francis Y. Lee, newly named as the Wayne O. Southwick Professor of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation, is an orthopaedic surgeon in active clinical practice and a scientist fostering research experience for future clinician scholars and clinically relevant translational research scientists.
As a tenured professor in the traditional faculty track, Lee focuses on orthopaedic research that is directly relevant to pathogenesis, diagnosis, and treatment of orthopaedic disorders. He conducts research into such areas as fracture healing, bone metastasis, and orthobiologics (the practice of using a patient’s own blood products to stimulate healing). An expert in complex musculoskeletal reconstruction, he works with a range of musculoskeletal problems, from fractures and limb deformities to tumors and infections. He is recognized for providing outstanding clinical care for patients with complex musculoskeletal tumors, infection, and developmental defects in adults and children.
Lee earned his M.D. and Ph.D. degrees from Seoul National University (Seoul, Korea). After completing his orthopaedic residency at Seoul National University Hospital, he held fellowships at Mount Sinai Hospital, Massachusetts General Hospital/Boston Children’s Hospital, and the Hospital for Sick Children. He began his academic career as an assistant professor of orthopaedic surgery at Columbia University and was appointed the Robert Carroll and Jane Chace Carroll Laboratories Professor with tenure there in 2014. Lee joined the Yale School of Medicine faculty in 2016 as a professor of orthopaedics and rehabilitation. He holds a secondary appointment in the Department of Pathology. In addition, he serves as vice chair of academic, scientific, and research affairs in orthopaedics.
The Yale professor has published more than 100 peer-reviewed journal articles. He has been awarded uninterrupted research grants from private foundations as well as federal agencies such as NIH and DOD since 2003. Lee, as one of a dozen practicing orthopedic surgeons with multiple NIH grants, is a well-recognized leader, educator, and mentor in musculoskeletal research.
Lee currently serves on the NIH Skeletal Biology, Structure, and Regeneration (SBSR) Study Section as a permanent member and was recently nominated as SBSR Study Section Chair. He has been actively involved in junior faculty mentoring for orthopaedic surgeons and musculoskeletal researchers nationwide. He is currently chair of the Musculoskeletal Tumor Society Research Committee. His honors include the Kappa Delta Ann Doner Vaughn Award from the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons and the J. Neff Award from the Musculoskeletal Transplantation Foundation.
