Ten members of Vanderbilt University’s faculty have been elected fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) this year.
They are among 347 fellows from around the country selected by their peers “because of their efforts toward advancing science applications that are deemed scientifically or socially distinguished.”
“We are delighted that our faculty have been recognized by their peers for this important honor,” said Susan R. Wente, Ph.D., provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs. “Individually they have each made significant contributions not only to their respective fields but also to training the next generation of scientists, and collectively represent a remarkably talented group at the forefront of answering some of the most important research questions of our time.”
The new fellows will be recognized Feb. 13, 2016, at the AAAS annual meeting in Washington, D.C.
Vanderbilt now has 114 AAAS fellows among its current and emeritus faculty and staff. Half of them — 57 — were elected during the past four years alone, reflecting remarkable momentum and growth of the university’s academic reputation.
“The election of another large cohort of faculty speaks to our growing influence and stature as a world leader in scientific discovery,” said Dr. Jeff Balser, vice chancellor for health affairs and dean of the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. “Their elections reflect the highest level of peer recognition for distinguished career-long contributions.”
The new fellows and their achievements are:
Joey V. Barnett, Ph.D., professor of pharmacology, of medicine, of pathology, microbiology and immunology, and of pediatrics, for distinguished contributions to the field of molecular pharmacology, particularly for elucidation of the molecular and genetic pathways involved in cardiac development;
Dr. Gordon Bernard, Melinda Owen Bass Professor of Medicine and associate vice chancellor for clinical and translational research, for distinguished contributions to the understanding of pulmonary physiology and for clinical trial conduct advances that have impacted care and survival of the critically ill;
Nancy Cox, Ph.D., Mary Phillips Edmonds Gray Professor of Medicine, for developing novel quantitative genetic methods to identify and characterize genetic variation contributing to common human diseases and complex traits, including diabetes and psychiatric disorders;
Maureen Gannon, Ph.D., associate professor of medicine, molecular physiology and biophysics, and cell and developmental biology, for distinguished research and mentoring in pancreas development and islet biology, distinguished service in diabetes awareness and outreach, and commitment to science education and training;
Owen Jones, J.D., New York Alumni Chancellor’s Chair in Law and professor of biological sciences, for behavioral, evolutionary and neuroscience research in law, leadership of nationwide networks of legal scholars, judges and scientists, and education of legal professionals and the public;
Dr. Pierre Massion, Cornelius Vanderbilt Chair in Medicine and professor of cancer biology, for distinguished contributions to lung cancer research, particularly in early detection of lung cancer.
Robert Matusik, Ph.D., William L. Bray Professor of Urology, professor of cancer biology and of cell and developmental biology, for developing tools to create genetically engineered models of prostate cancer, study androgen receptor action, and define pathways in the development of castrate-resistant prostate cancer;
Dr. Vito Quaranta, professor of cancer biology, for distinguished contributions to the field of cancer biology, particularly in development of integrated approaches to cancer systems biology;
Anna Roe, Ph.D., adjunct professor of radiology and radiological sciences, for advancing understanding of the functional organization of the sensory cortex and its relation to vision, touch and motor activity; and
Louise Rollins-Smith, Ph.D., associate professor of pathology, microbiology and immunology, of pediatrics and of biological sciences, for distinguished contributions to the field of developmental and comparative immunology, particularly the immune defenses against pathogens linked to global amphibian declines.
For more information about AAAS fellows, visit the AAAS website.
