He earned a Ph.D. in biochemistry in 1986 from the University of Otago, New Zealand. Early in his career, Lee developed novel technology for gene cloning. During the last decade, he has carried out innovative research on the identification of genes and their roles in regulating circadian rhythm in mammals. Recently, he identified an end product of metabolism that acts as a regulator of torpor, a mammalian hypothermic behavior. Lee is using his Pioneer Award to investigate the biological processes of suspended animation that are analogous to severe hypothermia in non-hibernating mammals. This work could have many medical applications.