Ilene Sussman PhD

Biographical Sketch:

Ilene Sussman is the Executive Director of the VHL Alliance (vhl.org), a non-profit organization dedicated to research, education, and support to improve awareness, diagnosis, treatment, and quality of life for those affected by von Hippel-Lindau Disease. In her role, Dr. Sussman is responsible for directing VHLA’s quest for a cure while continuing to support patient advocacy and empowerment as well as raising awareness in the medical and public communities. 

Dr. Sussman received her doctorate in Biochemistry at The Weizmann Institute of Science and has extensive experience academic and applied scientific research. Dr. Sussman academic research was dedicated to metabolic pathways including the Crabtree Effect (increased flux through the glycolytic pathway under aerobic conditions). Product transfer, transitioning a biological product from bench to industrial production, was the focus of Dr. Sussman’s work in the pharmaceutical industry. 

Dr. Sussman career includes 18 years in the non-profit sector. Her idiosyncratic background provides Dr. Sussman a unique perspective of basic, translational and clinical research, as well as medical care. 

Positions:

Executive Director, VHL Alliance

Degree:

The Weizmann Institute of Science, Department of Biochemistry, PhD University of Pennsylvania, Department of Biochemistry/Biophysics, MS

Postgraduate Training:

Postdoctoral fellow, Boston, University Medical Center, Diabetes and Metabolism Unit, Boston Postdoctoral fellow, University of Pennsylvania, Diabetes Research Center, Philadelphia Postdoctoral fellow, The Wistar Institute of Anatomy Biology Philadelphia