Cathleen (Cat) Lutz, Ph.D., M.B.A.
Senior Director, Mouse Repository & In Vivo Pharmacology Genetic Resource Science / Senior research scientist
Researches mice as a model for human neurodegenerative disease, with an emphasis on best practices for research and preclinical drug testing.
Dr. Lutz is Director of the Mouse Repository and the Rare and Orphan Disease Center at The Jackson Laboratory. She has fiscal and managerial oversight of a growing collection of more than 8,500 unique strains, including over 1,700 live colonies for distribution to the scientific community. As part of the Mouse Repository program, Dr. Lutz is the Principal investigator on a number of NIH sponsored resource grants, including the Mutant Mouse Regional and Research Center at JAX, The SMSR grant to support recombinant inbred and Chromosome substitution panels, as well as the NICHD Cytogenetic Resource to support Down Syndrome related strains and research. Dr. Lutz also serves as the Director of In Vivo Pharmacology and Efficacy Testing Program in Bar Harbor, which interfaces with biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies to pursue novel therapeutics across a variety of therapeutic areas.
A neuroscientist by training, Dr. Lutz conducts research in neurodegenerative diseases, including Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA), Friedreich’s ataxia, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) and Frontotemperal Lobe Dementia (FTD. Her lab works closely with multiple disease foundations and researchers in the development, characterization and validation of mouse models that support their research and drug discovery goals. These organizations include The ALS Association, The Friedreich’s Ataxia Research Alliance, the Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) Foundation, Cure SMA, and the Grace Science Foundation.
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
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Press ReleaseAugust 25, 2021Chris Brannigan to walk 1,200 miles barefoot for rare disease research
Chris Brannigan is preparing to take off his boots and walk nearly 1200 miles down the eastern seaboard of the United States, and he's doing it all in the name of CdLS research for his daughter, Hasti. -
Press ReleaseJune 29, 2021JAX's Cat Lutz receives Rare Impact Award from NORD
Senior Director of JAX Rare and Orphan Disease Center, Cat Lutz, Ph.D., M.B.A. is honored for her tireless efforts in rare disease research with an award from NORD. -
Featured ArticleApril 19, 2021How do you navigate the rare disease odyssey?
Rare disease families and experts offer advice on how to navigate the rare disease odyssey. -
Press ReleaseOctober 09, 2018Advancing therapeutic gene editing
NIH awards $3.5M to JAX under multi-institution Somatic Cell Genome Editing program.
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Featured ArticleJuly 29, 2021Exposing the genetics of ALS
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord. As of now, there is no known cure, but researchers at The Jackson Laboratory (JAX) and elsewhere are undaunted and hard at work. -
Featured ArticleJune 01, 2021Next-Gen Genetics
Scientists at The Jackson Laboratory (JAX) discussed the dramatic changes that have taken place in the field of genetics over the past three decades – and how those advancements are allowing us to change the course of diseases that have a genetic basis. -
Featured ArticleOctober 22, 2018A new world of opportunity in rare diseases
JAX neuroscientist Cat Lutz, Ph.D., gave a TED-style talk about strides in rare disease research as part of the Laboratory’s JAXtaposition speaker series. Photo by Brian Fitzgerald. -
Search MagazineFebruary 28, 2017Our mouse model paved the way for a new SMA drug
A mouse model of spinal muscular atrophy developed at The Jackson Laboratory lay the foundation for the successful clinical trials of a new SMA drug, Spinraza.