Cathleen (Cat) Lutz, Ph.D., M.B.A.

Vice President, Rare Disease Translational Center

Researches mice as a model for human neurodegenerative disease, with an emphasis on best practices for research and preclinical drug testing.

Cat Lutz, Ph.D., M.B.A. is the Vice President of the Rare Disease Translational Center at The Jackson Laboratory (JAX). With 25 years of experience in mouse genetics, Dr. Lutz has focused her research efforts on patient organizations and families diagnosed with rare diseases. The JAX Rare Disease Translational Center incorporates precision mouse models and broad-based drug efficacy testing to support IND enabling studies. She serves as the Principal Investigator of multiple NIH sponsored programs including the Center for Precision Genetics, The Somatic Cell Genome Editing Center, and Mouse Mutant Research and Resource Center. As a neuroscientist by training, Dr. Lutz has worked on models of the central nervous system such as Spinal Muscular Atrophy, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Friedreich’s Ataxia. Dr. Lutz was recently awarded a 2021 Rare Impact Award by the National Organization for Rare Disorders.

Education and experience

Education

1997
Ph.D., biochemistry
University of Maine, Orono, ME

1990
B.S., biochemistry
The University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA

Experience
2012-
Director, Rare and Orphan Disease Center, The Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, ME

2011-
Director, Repository, and Research Scientist, Genetic Resource Science, The Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, ME

2008-2011
Associate Director and Research Scientist, Genetic Resource Science, The Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, ME

2004-2008
Mouse Repository Operations Manager and Associate Research Scientist, The Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, ME

1998-2004
Senior Scientific Curator, Mouse Genome Informatics, The Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, ME

1996-1998
Postdoctoral Associate, Laboratory of Dr. David Hosford, Duke University, Durham North Carolina

1993-1996
Predoctoral Associate, Laboratory of Dr. Wayne Frankel, The Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, ME

1991-1993
Senior Research Assistant, Laboratory of Dr. Wayne Frankel, The Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, ME

1990-1991
Research Assistant, Laboratory of Dr. Benjamin Taylor, The Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, ME

1987-1990
Research Technician, Laboratory of Dr. Mary Edmonds, The University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA