Dr. Geschwind Elected to the Institute of Medicine

October 20, 2011

Two faculty members in the David Geffen School of Medicine – Daniel H. Geschwind, M.D., Ph.D., and Barbara Vickrey, M.D., M.P.H. – have been elected to membership in the Institute of Medicine (IOM) of the National Academy of Sciences. Membership in the Institute of Medicine is one of the highest honors conferred in the Health Sciences in the U.S. and internationally.

Dr. Geschwind is the Gordon and Virginia MacDonald Distinguished Professor, departments of neurology, psychiatry and human genetics and director, program in neurogenetics and Center for Autism Research and Treatment, Semel Institute. His studies include the development of novel methods as well as applications to study the normal brain and its disorders using advanced genetic techniques. He has evaluated the genetic aspects of normal language and disorders that affect it such as autism, and has also studied degenerative disorders of the brain such as dementias.

Dr. Barbara Vickrey, is professor and vice-chair, department of neurology. Her work has focused on the evaluation of health care systems and the delivery of care to patients involving health care workers at all levels as well as care givers and family members. She has applied these rigorous and difficult evaluations to the care provided to individuals with neurologic diseases including epilepsy, Alzheimer's disease, multiple sclerosis and others.

In addition, Richard J. Jackson, M.D., Ph.D. in the School of Public Health and Cun-Yu Wang, D.D.S., Ph.D. in the School of Dentistry, were elected to the IOM Member Class of 2011. Dr. Jackson, professor and chair, department of environmental health sciences, has done extensive work in the impact of the environment on health, particularly relating to children. Dr. Wang, No-Hee Park Endowed Professor and Chair, division of oral biology, is working on several important areas related to cancer biology and therapy. He is also a member of the Jonsson Cancer Center and Stem Cell Biology Program.

The Institute of Medicine is among the most prestigious health organizations in the world. Its members represent the very pinnacle of academic and scientific achievement in the United States. The organization is respected and influential in policy making and its publications have shaped American medicine since its inception.