Title: Professor of Pediatrics
Company: Augusta University
Location: Augusta, Georgia, United States
Betty Sue Pace, MD, Professor of Pediatrics at Augusta University, has been recognized by Marquis Who’s Who Top Educators for dedication, achievements, and leadership in sickle cell disease research and treatment.
Esteemed for her expertise in sickle cell disease and dedication to medical research, Dr. Pace has been driven by her mission to combat sickle cell disease, a genetic disorder that disproportionately affects African Americans. She initially embarked upon her professional path at the Medical College of Wisconsin, from which she graduated with a Doctor of Medicine in 1976. Upon completing medical school, Dr. Pace pursued her residency at the aforementioned institution in 1984, through which she refined her skills in pediatric medicine.
Dr. Pace’s formal medical training continued with a fellowship at the University of Colorado from 1987 to 1990, where she began to focus intensively on sickle cell disease. This period was pivotal for her professional development, as she devoted her time in the laboratory to learning the intricacies of sickle cell disease. Dr. Pace was also inducted into the prestigious Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society in 1981, an acknowledgment of her academic excellence and commitment to the field of medicine.
Dr. Pace was additionally active as a faculty member at the Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin from 1984 to 1987. She found further success in a faculty position at the University of South Alabama from 1994 to 2002, where she spent the majority of her time focused on research and clinical care. Building upon her wealth of knowledge in sickle cell disease research during this time, Dr. Pace relocated to Dallas, Texas, where she continued her work in her medical discipline for nearly a decade.
In 2010, Dr. Pace accepted a position with MCG Lester University as a scientist physician, a position in which she established her independent laboratory due to their large sickle cell program. The laboratory, fully funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), became a center for developing new drugs aimed at treating sickle cell disease, with research including laboratory work and animal testing, which paved the way for clinical trials of three promising drugs. Dr. Pacd cites the progress during this time with two of the drugs showing significant promise, as a highlight of her storied career.
Since 2012, Dr. Pace has excelled as a professor of pediatrics at Augusta University, where she not only supervises the research laboratory but also facilitates training programs for the next generation of researchers. Throughout her career, she has trained 114 underrepresented junior faculty members, a point of immense pride for her. In addition to her research and academic duties, Dr. Pace has been involved in civic activities, most notably serving on the board of the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America Inc.
Dr. Pace has also authored numerous scientific papers, further contributing to the body of knowledge in sickle cell research. Her achievements in the field have been recognized with various awards and honors, including being celebrated as the Scientist of the Year by the American Medical Women’s Association in 2023. Dr. Pace has been likewise affiliated with the American Society of Hematology, the American Society of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, the American Society of Human Genetics, and the National Black Physician Society.
As she looks toward the future, Dr. Pace is preparing to retire in the next few years. She has expressed a desire to focus more on mentorship, supporting underrepresented investigators, and continuing her impactful work in the development of treatments for sickle cell disease. Dr. Pace hopes to further cement her legacy of significant milestones, dedicated service, and remarkable achievements, with her servant-hearted approach to medicine at the core of her achievements.
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