Melinda Aldrich, PhD, MPH, associate professor of Medicine in the Division of Genetic Medicine, has been elected to the Board of Directors of the American Society of Human Genetics (ASHG). Her three-year term will begin on Jan. 1, 2025.
“I am honored to be elected to the Board of ASHG. I look forward to being a voice for equity and inclusion during my tenure on the Board of Directors,” said Aldrich, who is also associate professor of Biomedical Informatics and of Thoracic Surgery. She served previously on ASHG’s Government & Public Advocacy Committee and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Task Force.
Aldrich’s research focuses on understanding the genetic and nongenetic mechanisms that drive disparities in lung cancer risk and survival, and on addressing inequities in lung cancer screening, particularly for Black and rural populations.
She collaborates with large-scale population-based cohorts and uses biobanks linked to electronic health records to investigate lung cancer. Her research played a key role in shaping health policy guidelines for lung cancer screening issued by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force.
Aldrich completed her MPH and PhD in Epidemiology at the University of California, Berkeley, and joined the Vanderbilt faculty in 2010. She has received the Vanderbilt Chancellor’s Award for Research on Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion and the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center Star Award for her high-impact research contributions.
ASHG, founded in 1948, is the primary professional membership organization for human genetics specialists worldwide, with a community of about 8,000 members, according to the society. The society shares research results via its annual meeting and two journals (The American Journal of Human Genetics and Human Genetics and Genomics Advances), advocates for genetics research support, educates professionals and the public about all aspects of human genetics, and promotes genetics services and responsible social and scientific policies.
Vanderbilt faculty member Digna Velez Edwards, PhD, professor of Obstetrics & Gynecology, is also a member of the ASHG Board of Directors.
