Dean’s Report 2014 I 2015 21
medical Engineering Center, senior attending physician in the coronary care unit at Brigham and Women’s and the Thomas D. and Virginia W. Cabot Professor of Health Sciences and Technology at MIT; Alvin Poussaint, professor of psychiatry and faculty associate dean for student affairs; Bernardo Sabatini, the Alice and Rodman W. Moorhead III Professor of Neurobiology and HHMI investigator; and Rachel Wilson, professor of neurobiology and HHMI investigator. ROYAL SOCIETY In 2014, two HMS faculty members were elected foreign members of the Royal Society: Stephen Harrison, the Giovanni Armenise–Harvard Professor of Basic Biomedical Science in the Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, who determined the first structure of an intact virus particle as well as the mechanisms of viral entry and assembly; and Clifford Tabin, the George Jacob and Jacqueline Hazel Leder Professor of Genetics and chair of the Department of Genetics, who has made fundamental discoveries in embryonic development, identifying the first known secreted morphogen, Sonic hedgehog, and elucidating how morphogens orchestrate formation of the human embryo. GAIRDNER AWARD Harold Dvorak, the Mallinckrodt Distinguished Professor of Pathology and senior investigator in the Center for Vascular Biology Research at Beth Israel Deaconess, was one of eight scientists honored with the 2014 Canada Gairdner International Award. His work included the landmark discovery of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), a key molecular mediator of new blood vessel formation, and the development of effective anti-VEGF therapy for cancer and macular degeneration. WOLF PRIZE, GRUBER GENETICS PRIZE AND BREAKTHROUGH PRIZE Gary Ruvkun, professor of genetics and investigator at Mass General, was named a co-recipient of the 2014 Wolf Prize in Medicine for his contributions to the discovery of microRNAs and small interfering RNAs. This work also led to his sharing the 2014 Gruber Genetics Prize and his receipt of a $3 million Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences. BLAVATNIK NATIONAL AWARDS Rachel Wilson, professor of neurobiology and an HHMI investigator, was recognized as an inaugural Blavatnik National Laureate for her groundbreaking research on sensory processing and neural circuitry in the fruit fly. ENDOWED PROFESSORSHIPS The following newly established HMS professorships were celebrated this past year, recognizing the generosity of their respective benefactors and the accomplishments of their inaugural incumbents. Michael E. Chernew, the Leonard D. Schaeffer Professor of Health Care Policy Dean Eliott, the Stelios Evangelos Gragoudas Associate Professor of Ophthalmology Marc B. Garnick, the Gorman Brothers Clinical Professor of Medicine Terrie E. Inder, the Mary Ellen Avery Professor of Pediatrics in the Field of Newborn Medicine John F. Kelly, the Elizabeth R. Spallin Associate Professor of Psychiatry in the Field of Addiction Medicine Martin A. Samuels, the Miriam Sydney Joseph Professor of Neurology Ron M. Walls, the Neskey Family Professor of Emergency Medicine Ralph Weissleder, the Thrall Family Professor of Radiology
Opposite page, the Harvard Program in Therapeutic Science (HiTS) is rethinking the basic and clinical science needed to discover, develop and deliver better drugs. Investigators from Harvard and other universities, HMS and HMS-affiliated hospitals combine experiments and computation in a systems approach to modeling therapeutic and toxic drug responses.
Cameron D. Wright, the Mathisen Family Professor of Surgery in the Field of Thoracic Surgery Ramnik Xavier, the Kurt J. Isselbacher Professor of Medicine in the Field of Gastroenterology AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF SCIENCE This year, three HMS faculty were named fellows: Ole Isacson, HMS professor of neurology (neuroscience) at McLean Hospital and Mass General, for contributions to neuroscience and neurology, particularly for helping to elucidate the neurobiology of Parkinson’s disease and for innovations in applications of stem cells; Ali Khademhosseini, professor of medicine at Brigham and Women’s, for contributions at the interface of engineering, materials sciences and biology, particularly for the application of micro- and nano-engineered materials for regenerative medicine; and Timothy Alan Springer, the Latham Family Professor of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, for establishing the paradigm that the immune and vascular systems use adhesion molecules and for discovering how they regulate immune responses and the passage of blood cells through vessel walls and into tissues. SUSAN G. KOMEN BRINKER AWARD FOR SCIENTIFIC DISTINCTION IN BASIC SCIENCE / BREAST CANCER ALLIANCE EXCEPTIONAL PROJECT GRANT Joan Brugge, the Louise Foote Pfeiffer Professor of Cell Biology and co-director of the Ludwig Center at Harvard, is this year’s recipient of the prestigious Susan G. Komen Brinker Award for Scientific Distinction in Basic Science. Brugge was also awarded the 2014 Breast Cancer Alliance Exceptional Project Grant. BURROUGHS WELLCOME FUND CAREER AWARDS FOR MEDICAL SCIENTISTS Marcin Imielinski, clinical fellow in pathology at Mass General, was awarded a 2014 Burroughs Wellcome Fund Career Award for Medical Scientists. FRANKLIN INSTITUTE AWARD Christopher T. Walsh, the Hamilton Kuhn Professor of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology Emeritus, received the 2014 Benjamin Franklin Medal in Chemistry from The Franklin Institute for his research focusing on enzymes and enzyme inhibition. AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR THERAPEUTIC RADIOLOGY AND ONCOLOGY Nancy Tarbell, the C.C. Wang Professor of Radiation Oncology and dean for academic and clinical affairs, received a 2014 ASTRO Gold Medal award. Tarbell has had a major influence on advances in pediatric oncology and radiation therapy and has worked to expand the presence of women faculty in radiation oncology and other disciplines. PRESIDENTIAL EARLY CAREER AWARD Sandra McAllister, assistant professor of medicine at Brigham and Women’s, is one of 102 researchers named by President Barack Obama as a recipient of the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers. Her research in cancer biology focuses on identifying systemic factors that affect the course of metastatic cancer. For more HMS awards, please visit: hms.harvard.edu/news/all-news?tid=16.