In April 2022, Cell Biology held a symposium, "A Life in Cell Biology Over Four Decades," to honor Dr. Winfield S. Sale, Professor Emeritus and former department chair, who retired after 41 years at Emory. The Symposium included speakers from Emory and other institutions celebrating his legacy.
Dr. Sale joined the Emory Department of Anatomy in 1981 (later to become the Department of Cell Biology). He has been a paragon of excellence in his scientific research, mentoring and teaching, and his service to the University and scientific community. Dr. Sale has been a pioneer in the field dedicated to understanding how cilia and flagella work. These structures are thin, whip-like projections of cells that generate force to either propel motile cells (such as sperm) or to move fluid (as in human airway).
In addition to his outstanding scholarship in research, Dr. Sale held a strong commitment and unparalleled dedication to teaching and mentoring medical and graduate students. He received the Dean’s Excellence in Teaching Award twice, in 2002 and 2008, and the Graduate Mentorship Award in 2001. During his tenure at Emory he trained over 20 students and postdocs in his lab and has been on the thesis committees of scores more. Among his mentees are several faculty members and department chairs. Before becoming chair of Cell Biology from 2010 to 2015, Sale was Deputy Chair of the Department of Cell Biology since 1992.