Two Institute Directors Elected to NAM
Two NIH institute directors—Dr. Michael F. Chiang, director, National Eye Institute (NEI), and Dr. Eric D. Green, director, National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI)—are among the 100 new members recently elected to the National Academy of Medicine (NAM).
Election to the academy 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.
Chiang was cited “for pioneering applications of biomedical informatics to ophthalmology in artificial intelligence, telehealth, pediatric retinal disease, electronic health records and data science, including methodological and diagnostic advances in [artificial intelligence] AI for pediatric retinopathy of prematurity, and for contributions to developing and implementing the largest ambulatory care registry in the United States.”
Green was recognized “for leading the development of technologies and tools for translating genomics to clinical practice. Globally, he has pioneered cooperation to advance genomic fluency and precision medicine. In parallel, he has modeled diversity and inclusion in NHGRI senior leadership and workforce training programs.”
The newly elected members—90 regular and 10 international—bring NAM’s total membership to more than 2,400, which includes 198 international members.
Established originally as the Institute of Medicine in 1970 by the National Academy of Sciences, NAM addresses critical issues in health, science, medicine and related policy and inspires positive actions across sectors. It works alongside the National Academy of Sciences and National Academy of Engineering to provide independent, objective analysis and advice to the nation and conduct other activities to solve complex problems and inform public policy decisions.
The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine also encourage education and research, recognize outstanding contributions to knowledge, and increase public understanding of science, technology, engineering, math and medicine. With their election, NAM members commit to volunteer their service in National Academies activities.