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Penn Medicine on April 11, 2022. Credit: Roger Ge

The National Academy of Medicine elected five Penn Medicine experts because of their contributions to the advancement of the medical sciences, health care, and public health. 

CEO of the Hospital of the University of Penn Regina Cunningham, Professor and Chair of Obstetrics and Gynecology Elizabeth Howell, Professor of Medical Ethics and Health Policy Steven Joffe, Adjunct Professor in Neurosurgery Katalin Karikó, and Professor of Vaccine Research in the Infectious Diseases division Drew Weissman are among the 100 new members that were elected to join the Academy, which is considered one of the highest honors in the field of health and medicine.

NAM was established in 1970 to advise the nation on medical and health issues and advance research in science, medicine, policy, and health equity. There are now a total of 83 University of Pennsylvania members who are also part of NAM.  

Katalin Karikó is an adjunct professor of Neurosurgery at the medical school, and Drew Weissman is the Roberts Family Professor in Vaccine Research and director of the Penn Institute for RNA Innovation in Medicine at the medical school. Karikó and Weiss collaborated on the pivotal vaccine MRNA research that led to both the FDA-approved BioNTech/Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines.   

“It’s just so wonderful. I’m not a medical doctor; I’m a biochemist. Being inducted into the National Academy of Medicine is extra special," Karikó said.

Karikó added that she was both surprised to get the award and honored to be recognized for her research with Weissman.

Steven Joffe is the Art and Ilene Penn Professor and Chair of Medical Ethics and Health Policy and is a Professor of Pediatrics at the medical school. He is a leading expert in medical ethics and developed the most widely used instrument for measuring the quality of research-informed consent.  

“Bodies like Congress or various arms of the Executive Branch frequently ask the Academy to provide policy advice regarding challenges that the government is facing. I hope that I will have the opportunity to contribute to that advice-giving process," Joffe said. "The issues that the Academy is wrestling with will also influence the questions that I ask in my own work."

Regina Cunningham is the chief executive officer at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and is an adjunct professor and assistant dean for Clinical Practice at the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Nursing. Her work focuses on the effects of nursing on clinical outcomes and how to improve the clinician and patient's well-being through advanced care delivery models, reported Newswise.  

Elizabeth Howell is the Harrison McCrea Dickson President’s Distinguished Professor and Chair of Obstetrics and Gynecology in the Perelman School of Medicine. She concentrates on identifying and remedying racial and ethnic disparities in women's and children’s health.  

This is not the first time that Penn Medicine experts have been elected to NAM.  

In Oct. 2021, Perelman School of Medicine faculty members Marylyn D. Ritchie and Sarah A. Tishkoff were inducted into the Academy for their work on genetics. In 2017, Penn faculty Lewis A. Chodosh, Christos Coutifaris, Maria A. Oquendo, Michael S. Parmacek, Therese S. Richmond, Dorothy E. Roberts, and Flaura K. Winston were inducted into the society as well.  

“This extraordinary class of new members is comprised of exceptional scholars and leaders who have been at the forefront of responding to serious public health challenges, combating social inequities, and achieving innovative discoveries,” said National Academy of Medicine President Victor J. Dzau.