Beth Levine (physician) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Beth Levine
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| Born | April 7, 1960 |
| Died | June 15, 2020 (aged 60) |
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| Known for | Identified the mammalian autophagy gene BECN1/beclin 1 |
| Spouse(s) | Milton Packer |
| Children | 2 |
| Awards | The American Cancer Society Junior Faculty Research Award (1994); election into the American Society of Clinical Investigation (2000); the Ellison Medical Foundation Senior Scholars Award in Global Infectious Diseases (2004); elected member, American Association of Physicians (2005); appointment as a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator (2008); Edith and Peter O’Donnell Award in Medicine (2008); elected fellow, American Association for the Advancement of Science (2012); election into the National Academy of Sciences (2013); election into the Academy of Medicine, Engineering and Science of Texas (2013); the ASCI Stanley J. Korsmeyer Award (2014); Phyllis T. Bodel Women in Medicine Award, Yale University School of Medicine (2018); recipient, Barcroft Medal, Queen’s University Belfast (2018). |
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Beth Cindy Levine (born April 7, 1960 – died June 15, 2020) was an American microbiologist. She was a leading researcher at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI). She also worked as a professor at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. There, she directed the Center for Autophagy Research.
Beth Levine was an expert in a field called autophagy. This is a natural process where cells clean out damaged parts. She studied how this process works and its role in diseases like cancer and infections. Many people saw her as a pioneer, meaning she was one of the first to make big discoveries in the study of autophagy in mammals.
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About Beth Levine
Beth Levine was born in Newark, New Jersey, on April 7, 1960. She grew up in New Jersey with her older brothers. She was very smart and even finished high school a year early.
Sadly, Beth Levine passed away at home on June 15, 2020. She died from breast cancer. She is remembered by her husband, Milton Packer, and their two children, Rachel and Ben.
Her Education
Beth Levine went to Brown University and graduated in 1981. She earned a bachelor's degree in French studies with high honors. After that, she decided to study medicine. She earned her medical degree (M.D.) from Cornell University Medical College in New York.
She then gained more medical experience. She completed her training in Internal Medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City. Later, she did a special study program at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. Here, she focused on infectious diseases and how viruses affect the nervous system.
Her Career and Discoveries
Beth Levine had an impressive career in science. From 1994 to 2004, she was the Director of Virology Research at Columbia University. Then, from 2004 to 2011, she led the Division of Infectious Diseases at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. She continued to be a professor there until her death.
In 2003, she helped create the Gordon Conference on Autophagy. This is a special meeting where scientists share new ideas about autophagy.
Understanding Autophagy
Dr. Levine's research often combined different areas of science. She studied many different living things, including yeast, plants, worms, mice, and humans. Her most important discovery was finding the first autophagy gene in mammals. This gene is called BECN1 or Beclin 1.
She also found that this gene works closely with another protein called Bcl-2. This discovery was very important because it helped scientists understand how cells decide to live or die.
New Areas of Research
Beth Levine and her team also made big steps in understanding specific types of autophagy:
- Virophagy: This is when cells use autophagy to get rid of viruses.
- Xenophagy: This is when cells use autophagy to destroy harmful bacteria or other invaders from outside the body. Dr. Levine is even credited with creating this term!
- Mitophagy: This is when cells use autophagy to remove damaged parts of their energy factories, called mitochondria.
These discoveries helped scientists better understand how autophagy pathways affect diseases. This includes brain diseases, inflammatory problems, and different types of cancers. Dr. Levine's lab also worked on creating new treatments for these diseases. One example is a special molecule called Tat-Beclin, which can help start the autophagy process.
