On Tuesday, Dec 1, 2015, Dr. Caroline Genco, chair of the Integrative Physiology & Pathobiology, was installed as the inaugural Arthur E. Spiller, M.D. Professor This professorship was made possible by an estate gift from Dr. Spiller and this fund is meant to support “an outstanding biomedical researcher and educator at Tufts University School of Medicine who demonstrates expertise in the field of genetics”.
Dr. Genco completed her Bachelor’s degree in Biology at State University of New York (SUNY-Fredonia) and did her graduate work in microbiology at University of Rochester School of Dentistry & Medicine. She went on to work as a postdoctoral scholar at Center of Disease Control (CDC) and later, walked the path of an academic that led her to Boston University School of Medicine (BUMC) prior to Tufts. At BUMC, she was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award for Research & Service (2012). She has also served on numerous NIH study sections, worked with & advised several pharmaceutical companies, and has mentored a host of graduate students and postdoctoral scholars throughout her career.
Dr. Genco’s research spans basic, translational and global health in relation to mucosal pathogens, with a particular interest in genetic elements of host-pathogen interactions in systemic inflammatory disease states. Some of her notable works include establishing the connection between oral mucosal bacteria and their role in atherosclerosis and plaque formation. Her current work focuses on innate immune responses to mucosal pathogens, regulatory mechanisms in bacterial pathogens and the association between the microbiome and chronic inflammation, with an interest in pancreatic cancer. More details are available at her Sackler webpage – http://sackler.tufts.edu/Faculty-and-Research/Faculty-Research-Pages/Caroline-Genco.
Besides her academic accomplishments, Dr. Genco also serves as the President and Treasurer of the Christina Clarke Genco Foundation, Inc. This non-profit was established in honor of Christina Genco, who passed away in a tragic biking accident in 2011. This organization embodies the values of late Ms. Genco and seeks to empower young adults so they can make a difference in their communities. In addition, the organization also focuses on improving biking safety, providing scholarship to female athletes and assisting affordable housing initiatives.