Rate My Professor Leah Cowen

Professor Leah Cowen is a faculty member in the Department of Molecular Genetics at the University of Toronto, where she also serves as Vice-President, Research and Innovation, and Strategic Initiatives. She earned a BSc in Microbiology from the University of British Columbia and a PhD from the University of Toronto. Her research focuses on the biology and evolution of fungal pathogens, with an emphasis on understanding mechanisms of drug resistance and developing new strategies to treat life-threatening infections. Cowen previously held the position of Canada Research Chair in Microbial Genomics and Infectious Disease. She is a co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer of Bright Angel Therapeutics and co-director of the CIFAR Fungal Kingdom: Threats and Opportunities program. Her contributions have been recognized with awards including the Burroughs Wellcome Fund Career Award in the Biomedical Sciences, the Grand Challenges Canada Star in Global Health Award, the Merck Irving S. Sigal Memorial Award, the E.W.R. Steacie Award, and fellowships in the American Academy of Microbiology and the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Cowen has led research initiatives leveraging chemical genomics, functional genomics, experimental evolution, host-pathogen interaction models, and structure-guided drug design. She has taught graduate courses on fungal drug resistance, development, and disease. Her work addresses the global impact of fungal infections, which affect billions and result in over 1.5 million deaths annually.