Keynote

Nancy Zeleznik-Le is a professor of Hematology and Oncology at the Loyola University Medical Center and the Interim Director of the Oncology Research Institute at Loyola University Medical Center.

Professor Zeleznik-Le graduated from the Ohio State University where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Microbiology and Immunology. She continued her education at Duke University, completing her PhD in Immunology, Cellular and Molecular Biology. She did her Postdoctoral work at the University of North Carolina, Lineberger Cancer Center where she studied MHC Class II gene regulation.

Professor Zeleznik-Le began her career at the University of Chicago where she held a position of a Research Associate and then an Assistant Professor. In 1999 she moved to Loyola University where she took a position as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Medicine. In 2003 she received tenure and became an Associate Professor. By 2009, she became a full Professor. Since 2013, she has been a program leader in the Epigenetics and Gene Regulation Program of Loyola’s Oncology Research Institute and since 2016 she has been the Co-Director of the Oncology Research Institute.

Professor Zeleznik-Le has focused her research work on mixed-lineage-leukemia (MLL) leukemogenesis (meaning the generation, development, and progression of leukemia). This work seeks to understand, characterize, and determine therapeutic targets for leukemia. MLL is a human gene that plays a role in leukemia. Professor Zeleznik-Le has carried out a variety of studies which investigate the wildtype MLL/MLL fusion partner proteins and MLL leukemia. These studies included functionally important interactions with polycomb group repressive proteins. More recently, Professor Zeleznik-Le has pursued structure-informed functional studies that could lead to novel therapeutics.