Leslie Parent

Dr. Leslie Parent is a Professor at Penn State College of Medicine's Department of Medicine (Division of Infectious Diseases) and holds multiple leadership roles including Associate Vice President for Health Sciences Research and Vice Dean for Research and Graduate Studies at The Pennsylvania State University. She serves as Interim Chair of the Department of Comparative Medicine and Professor in the Department of Molecular and Precision Medicine, while contributing to Penn State Cancer Institute's Mechanisms of Carcinogenesis program and the One Health Microbiome Center.

• MD from Duke University (1987)
• Research Fellowship in Retrovirology at Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center (1992-1997)
• Fellowship in Infectious Disease, Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center (1991-1994)
• Residency in Internal Medicine, Duke University (1987-1991)
• Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine (ELAM) Program, Drexel University College of Medicine (2016)

Her research laboratory investigates molecular mechanisms of retrovirus particle assembly, focusing on viral and cellular factors mediating retroviral protein/RNA trafficking. Key discoveries include nuclear trafficking of Rous sarcoma virus Gag proteins required for genomic RNA incorporation into virions, challenging established dogma in retrovirology. Current work examines RNA dimerization's role in viral assembly and HIV-1 ribonucleoprotein complex formation under substance use disorders.

Scientific awards include fellowships from the Association of American Medical Colleges Council of Deans (2018), American Association for the Advancement of Science (2017), American Academy of Microbiology (2014), and Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society (1987), alongside multiple teaching and mentoring awards. She serves as Associate Editor for Retrovirology and Editorial Board Member of the Journal of Virology.

As co-director of Penn State's MD/PhD Medical Scientist Training Program, Dr. Parent mentors physician-scientists while serving on NIH study sections. Her work intersects with UN Sustainable Development Goals through education and infectious disease research, supported by grants from National Institute on Drug Abuse and National Institute of General Medical Sciences.