[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 40 (Thursday, March 8, 2007)]
[Senate]
[Page S2890]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     TRIBUTE TO DR. SUSAN LINDQUIST

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, it is with great pleasure that I recognize 
Dr. Susan Lindquist for her cutting-edge work in the field of medical 
research. Dr. Lindquist's research today has the potential to lead to 
future cures for some of the most devastating illnesses we face. Her 
work has attracted national recognition, and next month Dr. Lindquist 
will be honored as Desert Research Institute Medal Recipient in Nevada. 
I would also like to thank the Desert Research Institute for their 
continued commitment in recognizing the best and brightest in our 
scientific and engineering communities.
  Dr. Lindquist has a diverse background of experience in the medical 
field. She is a member and former director of the Whitehead Institute. 
She is also a professor of biology at the Massachusetts Institute of 
Technology, as well as the Albert D. Lasker Professor of Medical 
Sciences at the University of Chicago. Dr. Lindquist has been 
acknowledged by several institutes, including being elected into the 
prestigious Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1997.
  Her life work in the medical field is nothing short of extraordinary. 
Potential cures for Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's, and many 
neurodegenerative diseases lie in the most fundamental building blocks 
of the human body--our proteins. Lindquist and her colleagues have made 
it their professional mission to understand how long strands of 
proteins fold to create intricate shapes or misfold and clump together. 
In her work, Dr. Lindquist found that when proteins misfold, they can 
contribute to cystic fibrosis, Alzheimer's, and even mad cow disease. 
Dr. Lindquist and her team have studied this exciting line of research 
so that we can better understand these diseases and hopefully develop 
new treatments.
  Dr. Lindquist's work has led to stunning medical breakthroughs in 
medicine, biology, and bioengineering. But the true impact of her work 
is felt by mankind. Today millions of Americans across Nevada and our 
Nation who suffer from neurodegenerative diseases have hope. Cures for 
some of the most debilitating diseases are on the horizon as a result 
of Dr. Lindquist's work.
  Again, it is with great pride that I recognize Dr. Susan Lindquist 
before the Senate. She is a deserving recipient of the Nevada Medal for 
her extraordinary work. I look forward to her continued accomplishments 
in this important field.

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