Mark A. Smith
Encyclopedia
Mark Anthony Smith was a professor of pathology
at Case Western Reserve University
in Cleveland, Ohio, where he also served as the Director of Basic Science Research at the University Memory and Aging Center.
Smith served as Editor-in Chief of Journal of Alzheimer's Disease
and also sat on the Editorial Board of over 20 leading journals including Science Translational Medicine
, Discovery Medicine
, Journal of Neurochemistry
, Journal of Pathology and The American Journal of Pathology. He is recognized in the field of Alzheimer's disease
research particularly for his work on oxidative stress
, mitochondria dysfunction and cell cycle re-entry and, with a h-index
of 73 and over 800 peer-review articles and reviews that have received over 21,000 citations, he was named as one of the top Alzheimer's disease researchers in the world, one of the top 100 most-cited scientists in Neuroscience & Behavior and one of the top 25 scientists in free radical research.
His many honors included the Jordi Folch-Pi Award from the American Society for Neurochemistry
, the ASIP Outstanding Investigator Award from the American Society for Investigative Pathology and being elected as a Fellow of the Royal College of Pathologists
, a Fellow of the American Aging Association
and a Fellow of American Association for the Advancement of Science
, the world's largest scientific organization.
He had been awarded the Goudie Lecture & Medal of the Pathological Society
but died before he could deliver the Lecture.
) and Rita Joyce Smith (1935–2004; housewife
), grew up in Wigston Magna
, Leicester
, where he attended Bushloe High School
. After receiving a full scholarship (grant), he became the first in his family to attend university/college and, in 1986, received a B.Sc. with honors in Molecular Biology & Biochemistry from Durham University
, and, in 1990, a Ph.D. in Biochemistry
from Nottingham University. After a brief immersion in big pharma as a postdoctoral biochemist in the Division of Immunodermatology at Sandoz Forschungsinstitut (now Novartis
) in Vienna, Austria, he began working in 1992 at Case Western Reserve University
where he was one of the most prolific and the most cited faculty member on campus, numerically accounting for over 1% of publications and 4% of citations over the past years (data from Institute for Scientific Information
).
Smith was struck by a car and killed on December 19, 2010.
Smith collaborated with and co-authored works with, amongst others, Drs. Rudolph J. Castellani, Jr.
and George Perry.
and was Team Captain of a group of local researchers ("A Cure From Cleveland") that participates in the annual fund raising Memory Walk for the Alzheimer's Association. In addition, Smith donated his time as a frequent guest speaker at local caregiver groups and at a variety of community events.
Pathology
Pathology is the precise study and diagnosis of disease. The word pathology is from Ancient Greek , pathos, "feeling, suffering"; and , -logia, "the study of". Pathologization, to pathologize, refers to the process of defining a condition or behavior as pathological, e.g. pathological gambling....
at Case Western Reserve University
Case Western Reserve University
Case Western Reserve University is a private research university located in Cleveland, Ohio, USA...
in Cleveland, Ohio, where he also served as the Director of Basic Science Research at the University Memory and Aging Center.
Smith served as Editor-in Chief of Journal of Alzheimer's Disease
Journal of Alzheimer's Disease
The Journal of Alzheimer's Disease is a peer-reviewed medical journal published by IOS Press covering the etiology, pathogenesis, epidemiology, genetics, treatment, and psychology of Alzheimer's disease. The journal publishes research reports, reviews, short communications, hypotheses, book...
and also sat on the Editorial Board of over 20 leading journals including Science Translational Medicine
Science Translational Medicine
Science Translational Medicine is an interdisciplinary medical journal established in October 2009 by the American Association for the Advancement of Science....
, Discovery Medicine
Discovery Medicine
Discovery Medicine is an open-access, multidisciplinary medical journal established in 2001. It was founded by scientists and physicians from the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, U. Penn School of Medicine, UCSF, etc. It is indexed in MEDLINE/PubMed by the U.S. National...
, Journal of Neurochemistry
Journal of Neurochemistry
The Journal of Neurochemistry is a peer-reviewed scientific journal established by the International Society for Neurochemistry in 1956. The journal covers a variety of subjects within the field of neuroscience, but focuses in particular on the "molecular and cellular aspects of the nervous system,...
, Journal of Pathology and The American Journal of Pathology. He is recognized in the field of Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease also known in medical literature as Alzheimer disease is the most common form of dementia. There is no cure for the disease, which worsens as it progresses, and eventually leads to death...
research particularly for his work on oxidative stress
Oxidative stress
Oxidative stress represents an imbalance between the production and manifestation of reactive oxygen species and a biological system's ability to readily detoxify the reactive intermediates or to repair the resulting damage...
, mitochondria dysfunction and cell cycle re-entry and, with a h-index
H-index
The h-index is an index that attempts to measure both the productivity and impact of the published work of a scientist or scholar. The index is based on the set of the scientist's most cited papers and the number of citations that they have received in other publications...
of 73 and over 800 peer-review articles and reviews that have received over 21,000 citations, he was named as one of the top Alzheimer's disease researchers in the world, one of the top 100 most-cited scientists in Neuroscience & Behavior and one of the top 25 scientists in free radical research.
His many honors included the Jordi Folch-Pi Award from the American Society for Neurochemistry
American Society for Neurochemistry
The American Society for Neurochemistry is a professional society for neurochemists and neuroscientists from North, Central, and South America and the Caribbean, whose research concerns the role and interactions of small molecules in the development, growth, function, and pathology of the nervous...
, the ASIP Outstanding Investigator Award from the American Society for Investigative Pathology and being elected as a Fellow of the Royal College of Pathologists
Royal College of Pathologists
The Royal College of Pathologists, founded in 1962, was established to co-ordinate this development and maintain the internationally renowned standards and reputation of British pathology. Today the College advises on a vast range of issues relating to pathology...
, a Fellow of the American Aging Association
American Aging Association
The American Aging Association is a non-profit, tax-exempt biogerontology organization of scientists and laypeople dedicated to biomedical aging studies intended to slow the aging process. The abbreviation AGE is intended to be representative of the organization, even though it is not an acronym...
and a Fellow of American Association for the Advancement of Science
American Association for the Advancement of Science
The American Association for the Advancement of Science is an international non-profit organization with the stated goals of promoting cooperation among scientists, defending scientific freedom, encouraging scientific responsibility, and supporting scientific education and science outreach for the...
, the world's largest scientific organization.
He had been awarded the Goudie Lecture & Medal of the Pathological Society
Pathological society
The Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland is a professional organisation whose mission is stated as 'understanding disease'.- Membership and Profile :...
but died before he could deliver the Lecture.
Biography
Mark A. Smith, son of John Smith (1936-; underground coal miner Longwall miningLongwall mining
Longwall mining is a form of underground coal mining where a long wall of coal is mined in a single slice . The longwall panel is typically 3–4 km long and 250–400 m wide....
) and Rita Joyce Smith (1935–2004; housewife
Housewife
Housewife is a term used to describe a married woman with household responsibilities who is not employed outside the home. Merriam Webster describes a housewife as a married woman who is in charge of her household...
), grew up in Wigston Magna
Wigston Magna
Wigston Magna also historically referred to as Wigston Two Steeples or Great Wigston , is a town within Leicestershire, England just to the south of Leicester, on the A5199 road which leads to Northampton....
, Leicester
Leicester
Leicester is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England, and the county town of Leicestershire. The city lies on the River Soar and at the edge of the National Forest...
, where he attended Bushloe High School
Bushloe High School
Bushloe High School is a middle school in South Wigston in Leicestershire .-Admissions:...
. After receiving a full scholarship (grant), he became the first in his family to attend university/college and, in 1986, received a B.Sc. with honors in Molecular Biology & Biochemistry from Durham University
Durham University
The University of Durham, commonly known as Durham University, is a university in Durham, England. It was founded by Act of Parliament in 1832 and granted a Royal Charter in 1837...
, and, in 1990, a Ph.D. in Biochemistry
Biochemistry
Biochemistry, sometimes called biological chemistry, is the study of chemical processes in living organisms, including, but not limited to, living matter. Biochemistry governs all living organisms and living processes...
from Nottingham University. After a brief immersion in big pharma as a postdoctoral biochemist in the Division of Immunodermatology at Sandoz Forschungsinstitut (now Novartis
Novartis
Novartis International AG is a multinational pharmaceutical company based in Basel, Switzerland, ranking number three in sales among the world-wide industry...
) in Vienna, Austria, he began working in 1992 at Case Western Reserve University
Case Western Reserve University
Case Western Reserve University is a private research university located in Cleveland, Ohio, USA...
where he was one of the most prolific and the most cited faculty member on campus, numerically accounting for over 1% of publications and 4% of citations over the past years (data from Institute for Scientific Information
Institute for Scientific Information
The Institute for Scientific Information was founded by Eugene Garfield in 1960. It was acquired by Thomson Scientific & Healthcare in 1992, became known as Thomson ISI and now is part of the Healthcare & Science business of the multi-billion dollar Thomson Reuters Corporation.ISI offered...
).
Smith was struck by a car and killed on December 19, 2010.
Research
The focus of the research undertaken by Smith's research involves investigating the pathological mechanism(s) underlying selective neuronal death in neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease. Further this research involves a variety of techniques including histology, state of the art molecular and cell biology and cellular and animal models of disease that are directed toward diagnostic, mechanistic, and therapeutic strategies. Current projects are directed towards 1) fundamental metabolic alterations; 2) homeostatic dysregulation of transition metals; 3) signal transduction alterations; and 4) inappropriate re-entry into the cell cycle.Smith collaborated with and co-authored works with, amongst others, Drs. Rudolph J. Castellani, Jr.
Rudolph J. Castellani, Jr.
Rudy J. Castellani, Jr is professor of pathology at the University of Maryland in Baltimore, Maryland, where he also serves as Director of Neuropathology, Director of Autopsy Services, Program Director of the Pathologist's Assistant Graduate Program, and Associate Director of the Pathology...
and George Perry.
Community service
Smith served on the Professional Advisory Board of the Cleveland chapter of the Alzheimer's AssociationAlzheimer's Association
The Alzheimer's Association, incorporated on April 10, 1980 as the Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders Association, Inc., is a non-profit American voluntary health organization which focuses on care, support and research for Alzheimer's disease....
and was Team Captain of a group of local researchers ("A Cure From Cleveland") that participates in the annual fund raising Memory Walk for the Alzheimer's Association. In addition, Smith donated his time as a frequent guest speaker at local caregiver groups and at a variety of community events.