The SIVB Young Scientist Award recognizes professionals who have contributed significantly to advancements of the In Vitro Sciences, generally within 10 years of completion of their terminal degree. The award consists of a certificate and a monetary honorarium. At the 2013 SIVB meeting in Providence, RI the In Vitro Animal Cells Sciences (IVACS) Section recognized Dr. Addy Alt-Holland with the Young Scientist Award.
Dr. Addy Alt-Holland
Dr. Addy Alt-Holland received her B.Sc. degree and her M.Sc. degree from the Department of Life Sciences at Bar-Ilan University (Ramat-Gan, Israel). She also earned her Ph.D. from the Department of Life Sciences at Bar-Ilan University and her doctoral research was focused on Protein Kinase C (PKC) signaling and integrin regulation during keratinocyte proliferation and differentiation. Her doctoral research resulted in 4 international patents on the topic of pharmaceutical compositions for wound healing. After obtaining her Ph.D., Dr. Holland was a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Faculty of Life Sciences at Bar-Ilan University where her research focused on recombinant adenoviral constructs for gene therapy. This was followed by another Postdoctoral Fellowship at the Department of Oral Biology and Pathology in the School of Dental Medicine at the State University of New York at Stony Brook where her research focused on E-cadherin suppression and integrin-mediated adhesion in early cancer progression. After postdoctoral training, Dr. Alt-Holland accepted the position of Research Associate in the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology, Division of Cancer Biology and Tissue Engineering at Tufts University School of Dental Medicine (Boston, MA). After three years as Research Associate, she was promoted to Assistant Professor in the Department of Endodontics at Tufts University School of Dental Medicine. She also currently serves as the Director of the Tissue Engineering Core at Tufts Medical Center Cancer Center, which assists researchers with the development of three-dimensional tissue models for studying human cancer biology.
Dr. Alt-Holland’s laboratory at Tufts University is studying the cellular signaling events that regulate cancer cell motility and invasiveness during cancer development. The goals of her research include: 1) developing three dimensional human in vitro models of premalignant and malignant tissues to explore the tumor microenvironment; 2) Using these physiologically-relevant tissue models to identify novel therapeutic targets which permit intervention during the early stages of cancer progression; and 3) Developing novel local drug delivery platforms using biocompatible and biodegradable carriers. She recently received a Prestige Grant Award from the Office of the Provost at Tufts University to initiate a collaborative research project with the Tufts Medical School Biochemistry Department to study the role of endocytic proteins during the early stages of squamous cell carcinoma in humans. Dr. Alt-Holland’s research efforts have resulted in 24 peer reviewed publications, 1 book chapter, 4 patents, and over 80 presentations at national and international conferences.
Dr. Alt-Holland’s enthusiasm for research also extends to her teaching and mentoring activities. She serves as the course director and lecturer for the “Selected Topics in Molecular and Cell Biology” course which is taught to Post-Graduate and Master of Science students at Tufts University School of Dental Medicine. Addy recently designed and directed a Pilot Course titled “Student Summer Research Toolkit” for Dental students that participate in research, and also serves as a Group Leader in the Medical Biochemistry course at Tufts University School of Medicine. Dr. Alt-Holland has served as a research mentor for Dental faculty and students at Tufts University School of Dental Medicine; undergraduate and graduate students at Tufts University School of Medicine and School of Engineering; and undergraduate students at Pine Manor College and University of Massachusetts at Amherst. Addy’s enthusiasm for teaching and mentoring of students resulted in her nomination by undergraduate students and subsequent induction to the Robert B. Andrews Honor Society in recognition of Outstanding Research and Scholarship. Her dedication to Tufts University School of Dental Medicine resulted in her being nominated by the Dean to actively serve as a member of the School’s Strategic Planning Steering Committee. Dr. Alt-Holland first became involved with the Society for In Vitro Biology as an invited speaker at the SIVB Meeting in St. Louis, MO. Since then, she has become an instrumental part of our Society and has served as a convener for numerous Plenary Sessions, Symposia and Workshops. Addy currently serves on the In Vitro Animal Cell Sciences Leadership team as the IVACS Meeting Co-Chair and IVACS Program Chair, and she has been an active member of the Program Committee and significantly involved in the planning of the annual SIVB meeting. She is also serving on the SIVB Long Range Planning Committee, The SIVB Membership Committee, and the SIVB Education Committee. Addy has also published as a co-author in our Society’s journal, In Vitro Cellular & Developmental Biology-Animal.
The Society for In Vitro Biology congratulates Dr. Addy Alt-Holland on her contributions to research, teaching and service activities, and on her well-deserved Young Scientist Award.
Submitted by Michael J. Fay, Ph.D.
