A Californian by birth, Dr. Lage received her undergraduate education at California State University (Fresno) where she graduated summa cum laude and was named valedictorian. She earned her medical degree from St. Louis' Washington University School of Medicine in 1980, then returned to the west coast for an internship in pathology at Stanford. After a year's pathology residency in 1982 at Barnes Hospital (Washington University), she completed a residency in obstetrics and gynecology at Barnes, followed by a fellowship in surgical pathology.

Her professional career began as an instructor in pathology at Stanford in 1980, followed by a variety of academic appointments in pathology and OB/GYN at Barnes Hospital and Brigham and Women's Hospital (Harvard Medical School) in Boston. In 1991 she joined the pathology department at Georgetown University Medical Center as associate professor. Her Georgetown career also icluded appointments as co-director of the pathology residency traning program, director of surgical pathology, tenured professor (pathology, obstetrics and pediatrics), director of surgical pathology and obstetic/perinatal pathology and associate chair of the pathology department.

Throughout her career, Dr. Lage has received numerous honors for her clinical skills, contributions to the science of medicine, and outstanding teaching abilities. Among these honors were the Merck Prize for Excellence in Internal Medicine (1980), American Men and Women of Science (1991), and teaching awards including the Golden Apple (Georgetown University Medical SchoolClass of 1997) and nomination for that school's Celebration of Excellence Citation. She also attained membership in more than a dozen professional societies ranging from the Gynecologic Oncology Group to the College of American Pathologists.

In terms of research, Dr. Lage has earned a reputation as an international authority on gestational pathology, especially regarding areas such as trophoblastic disease and breast pathology during pregnancy and lactation. Her research contributions have helped lead to an understanding of new genetic markers and diagostic procedures for gynecologic tumors, prostate cancer and other diseases. She also provided pathology support for many studies involving the clinical and basic science aspects of other gestational and perinatal problems. Her work has resulted in publication of more than 140 papers, book chapters and abstracts.

Dr. Lage has served as a peer-reviewer of original articles/manuscripts for many prestigious journals, including most of the major publications in pathology. She has provided editorial services to journals such as Cancer and the New England Journal of Medicine, as well as Human Pathology and Archives of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine.

In addition, she is in great demand as a lecturer and visiting professor, having given dozens of invited presentations to groups including the US and Canadian Academy of Pathology, the College of American Pathologists and ther International Academy of Pathology.