October 12, 2009

Four Medical School Faculty Elected to Institute of Medicine

News Summary

• Medical School faculty Karen Hsiao Ashe, M.D., Ph.D., Michelle Biros, M.D., M.S., Selwyn M. Vickers, M.D., and Susan M. Wolf, J.D., have been elected to the Institute of Medicine (IOM) of the National Academy of Sciences.
• Institute of Medicine membership is awarded to those who have contributed significantly to medical sciences, health care, and public health. It is considered one of the highest honors in the fields of health and medicine. Founded in 1970, the institute’s mission is to serve as adviser to the nation to improve health. Over the years, the institute has become recognized as a national resource for independent, scientifically informed analysis and recommendations on health issues.
• Ashe, Biros, Vickers, and Wolf represent four of 65 newly elected members; the IOM currently has 1,610 active members. Election to the Institute of Medicine is both an honor and commitment, as members must volunteer their time to IOM committees, boards, and other activities.

Quotes

• "This is one of the highest honors bestowed upon our Medical School. Having four faculty elected to the Institute of Medicine in the same year demonstrates our commitment to excellence." - Mark Paller, M.D.

About the Medical School

Dedicated to excellence, diversity and service, the University of Minnesota Medical School educates the next generation of physicians, advances patient care, and discovers breakthroughs in biomedical research that enhance health in Minnesota and beyond. Its commitment to transform medical education, Rural Physician Associate Program, and success in training Native American physicians are well-known. More than 1,500 Medical School physicians and scientists provide world-class care and carry out nearly $200 million in research, which informs the treatments and care that patients receive. For more information, go to www.med.umn.edu.

Full Text

One of highest honors in field of medicine

MINNEAPOLIS / ST. PAUL (October 12, 2009) — Medical School faculty Karen Hsiao Ashe, M.D., Ph.D., Michelle Biros, M.D., M.S., Selwyn M. Vickers, M.D., and Susan M. Wolf, J.D., have been elected to the Institute of Medicine (IOM) of the National Academy of Sciences.

Institute of Medicine membership is awarded to those who have contributed significantly to medical sciences, health care, and public health. It is considered one of the highest honors in the fields of health and medicine. Founded in 1970, the institute’s mission is to serve as adviser to the nation to improve health. Over the years, the institute has become recognized as a national resource for independent, scientifically informed analysis and recommendations on health issues.

“This is one of the highest honors bestowed upon our Medical School,” says Mark Paller, M.D., executive vice dean of the Medical School. “Having four faculty elected to the Institute of Medicine in the same year demonstrates our commitment to excellence.”

Ashe, Biros, Vickers, and Wolf represent four of 65 newly elected members; the IOM currently has 1,610 active members. Election to the Institute of Medicine is both an honor and commitment, as members must volunteer their time to IOM committees, boards, and other activities.

Ashe, director of the N. Bud Grossman Center for Memory Research and Care, and holder of the Edmund Wallace and Anne Marie Tulloch Chairs in Neurology and Neuroscience, is internationally recognized for her Alzheimer’s disease research.

Biros, professor and vice chair of research in the Department of Emergency Medicine, is known for her contributions to and research in the field of emergency medicine. She is editor in chief of Academic Emergency Medicine.

Vickers, Jay Phillips Professor and chair of the department of surgery, is a nationally renowned leader in pancreatic cancer research.

Wolf, McKnight Presidential Professor of Law, Medicine, and Public Policy, Faegre and Benson Professor of Law, and professor in the University of Minnesota Law and Medical Schools, is the founding director of the University's Joint Degree Program in Law, Health & the Life Sciences and known for her work in bioethics.

Ashe, Biros, Vickers, and Wolf join the following previously elected Medical School faculty to the Institute of Medicine: Apostolos Georgopoulos, M.D., Ph.D., Ashley Haase, M.D., Deborah Powell, M.D., Paul Quie, M.D., and Kamil Ugurbil. M.A., Ph.D.