Wendy Garrett elected to National Academy of Medicine
Wendy Garrett, Irene Heinz Given Professor of Immunology and Infectious Diseases at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, has been 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.
NAM announced the election of 90 regular members and 10 international members on Oct. 20 during its annual meeting in Washington, DC.
Garrett, also a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, was chosen for her research into microbiomes in inflammatory bowel diseases, intestinal immunity, kidney disease, and colorectal cancer. Her work has advanced the understanding of microbiome-host interactions and how microbial metabolites shape immune system function in health and disease.
She and her team have identified specific species, pathways, and metabolites made by the microbiota that influence health and disease states. They also study microbes and immune cells that are not only instrumental in increasing the likelihood of carcinogenesis (transformation of normal cells into cancer cells) but are integral to intestinal homeostasis (state of balance). The lab’s core mission is to determine basic biologic mechanisms and apply their findings to precision medicine.
NAM is one of three academies that make up the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. The National Academies are private, nonprofit institutions that work outside of government to provide objective advice on matters of science, technology, and health.
Read the National Academy of Medicine press release: National Academy of Medicine Elects 100 New Members
