“Internationally recognized for his pioneering research in the fields of stem cell biology and cancer genetics, Dr. Zon is also known locally for a wicked sense of humor and persistently positive attitude.”
Leonard Zon, MD
Grousbeck Professor of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School
Director of the Stem Cell Program, Boston Children's Hospital
Dr. Leonard Zon has played trumpet with the Longwood Symphony Orchestra since 1984; his 39 year history with the organization is as old at the Symphony itself. He has been the first trumpet of the LSO for the last 25 years.
Aside from playing the trumpet, Dr. Zon is also the Grousbeck Professor of Pediatrics at Harvard Medical School, an Investigator with the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, and the Director of the Stem Cell Program at Children's Hospital Boston.
Dr. Zon received his B.S. in chemistry and natural sciences from Muhlenberg College (1979) and his M.D. from Jefferson Medical College (1983). He subsequently did an internal medicine residency at New England Deaconess Hospital (1986) and a fellowship in medical oncology at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (1989). His postdoctoral research was in Stuart Orkin’s laboratory (1990). Dr. Zon is internationally recognized for his pioneering work in stem cell biology and cancer genetics. He has been the preeminent figure in establishing zebrafish as an invaluable genetic model for the study of the blood and hematopoietic development. He is founder and former president of the International Society for Stem Cell Research and chair of the Executive Committee of the Harvard Stem Cell Institute. In 2005, he completed a term as President of the American Society for Clinical Investigation. That same year, Dr. Zon was elected to the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies. In 2008, Dr. Zon was elected to the American Academy of Arts & Sciences. In 2010, Dr. Zon was awarded the E. Donnall Thomas Lecture and Prize from American Society of Hematology. In 2013, Dr. Zon received the ISEH Donald Metcalf Lecture Award. Other recent awards include the 2014 Boston Children’s Hospital Post-Doctoral Association Mentoring Award and the National Cancer Institute’s Alfred G. Knudson Award (2015).
Honorary Committee
Fernando Camargo, PhD
Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Boston Children's Hospital
George Daley, MD, PhD
Dean, Harvard Medical School
Mark Gebhardt, MD
Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery, Harvard Medical School; Department of Orthopaedics, BIDMC, BCH
Wolfram Goessling, MD, PhD
Chief of Gastroenterology, MGH; Director, Harvard-MIT Program in Health Sciences and Technology
Carla Kim, PhD
Stem Cell Program, Professor of Genetics, Boston Children's Hospital
David M. Langenau, PhD
Associate Chief of Pathology for Research, Massachusetts General Hospital
Robert J. Mayer, MD
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Stuart H. Orkin, MD
David G. Nathan Distinguished Professor, Harvard Medical School
Helle Sachse, JD, PhD
Assistant Attorney General, Massachusetts Office of the Attorney General
Gala Committee
Bridget Brazeau
Jack Dennerlein, PhD
Kristi Griffin
Stacie Lin
Rich Parker, MD
Karyn Wang
Sam Wattrus, PhD
Thank You To Our 2023 Gala Sponsors!
Symphony
Overture
Aria
ARIA
Susan Pauker, MD
Mark Gebhardt, MD and Kristi Griffin
For more information about the 2023 Longwood Symphony Gala, including opportunities to sponsor the event or to honor Dr. Zon, please contact Executive Director Bridget Brazeau at bridget@longwoodsymphony.org or 617-987-0100.