Tara Sander Lee, Ph.D. is a scientist with almost 20 years’ experience in academic and clinical medicine.  Dr. Sander Lee completed her undergrad at Beloit College and received a Ph.D. in biochemistry from the Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW).  She then completed her research fellowship training at Harvard Medical School and Boston Children’s Hospital, before returning to MCW as a faculty member.  It was at MCW that she established a research lab, was promoted to associate professor, and served as the first scientific director of molecular diagnostics at Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin.  Under her scientific direction, new genetic testing was developed and offered to children suffering with cystic fibrosis, 22q deletion syndrome, hearing loss, blood disorders, and epilepsy.  Dr. Sander Lee has served as a molecular pathology inspector for the College of American Pathologists and scientific consultant for various entities, including the Milwaukee County Medical Examiner, Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin, and TAI Diagnostics.

Dr. Sander Lee’s research interests include pharmacogenetics and pathologic mechanisms of childhood disease.  She has been the primary investigator or co-investigator on several awarded grants, has been invited to present her work at national meetings, and is published in various medical journals and text books, including Editor of the book, Vascular Tumors and Developmental Malformations: Pathogenic Mechanisms and Molecular Diagnosis.  Dr. Sander Lee has developed curriculum and is a highly-regarded teacher and mentor at all stages of higher learning, including undergrads, predoctoral students, medical students, residents and fellows.  She has held several elected leadership positions including co-director of the Children’s Research Institute Nucleic Acid Extraction core, Chair of MCW Women’s Faculty Council, and chair of the American Society for Investigative Pathology Committee for Career Development, Women & Minorities (national organization).  She has received recognition for her science and academic contributions with several awards, including Milwaukee Business Journal’s Forty under 40 Award and MCW’s Outstanding Faculty Service Award.

Perhaps Dr. Sander Lee’s greatest passion is promoting ethical advancements in healthcare, especially for the preborn.  She has been invited to speak, give expert testimony, and provide scientific advice for several legislators, policymakers, and organizations in Minnesota, Texas, and Wisconsin.  She has published op-eds and been interviewed by local and national media outlets, including the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, The Cap Times, USA Today, and Liberty Counsel-Faith and Freedom Radio.  Dr. Sander Lee was recently an invited speaker at The Center for Bioethics & Human Dignity, where she led a workshop on the Perinatal Revolution.  This work was also accepted for publication in the bioethics journal, Issues in Law & Medicine for the Spring 2019 Issue.