NIH’ers Among Newest NAM Electees
The National Academy of Medicine (NAM) recently announced the election of 100 new members, including four NIH’ers.
Election is considered one of the highest honors in the fields of health and medicine and recognizes individuals who have demonstrated outstanding professional achievement and commitment to service.
The new members bring NAM’s total membership to more than 2,200.
Photo: Steve McCaw/NIEHS
NIH’ers recently elected to NAM and their election citations are:
Dr. John Balbus, interim director of the Office of Climate Change and Health Equity in HHS’s Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health and NIEHS senior advisor for public health. For leadership in confronting the health challenges of climate change—from developing the first risk assessment approaches to working at the interface of science and U.S. national policy.
Dr. Carolina Barillas-Mury, distinguished investigator, NIAID Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research. For discovering how plasmodium parasites manipulate the mosquito immune system to survive, and how these interactions maintain global malaria transmission.
Dr. Mariana Kaplan, NIAMS deputy scientific director and chief of the Systemic Autoimmunity Branch. For seminal contributions that have significantly advanced the understanding of the pathogenic role of the innate immune system in systemic autoimmune diseases, atherosclerosis and immune-mediated vasculopathies.
Dr. Shannon Zenk, NINR director. For research on the built environment in racial/ethnic minority and low-income neighborhoods that enriched understanding of the factors that influence health and contribute to health disparities, demonstrating the need for multilevel approaches to improve health and achieve health equity.
Established in 1970 as the Institute of Medicine, NAM is an independent organization of eminent professionals from diverse fields including health and medicine; the natural, social and behavioral sciences; and beyond. It serves alongside the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Engineering as an advisor to the nation and the international community.