Gene therapy pioneer Dr Donald Kohn elected to National Academy of Medicine

Dr Donald Kohn, a UCLA physician-scientist who has advanced blood stem cell gene therapies, has been elected to the National Academy of Medicine, Newswise reported. Election to the academy represents one of the highest honors in the fields of health and medicine. [1]

According to Newswise, members elect new peers to recognize outstanding professional achievement, commitment to service, and major contributions to advancing medical sciences and health care. Newswise noted that Dr Kohn's work helped transition life-saving gene therapies from laboratory settings to patients suffering from severe blood and immune diseases. [1]

UCLA Health reported that three new UCLA faculty members were welcomed into the National Academy of Medicine. Meanwhile, StreetInsider reported that the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus celebrated the election of four of its own faculty members to the academy. [2][3][4]

National academies operate as organizational bodies that coordinate scholarly research activities and serve as public policy advisors and research institutes, according to Wikipedia. These academies coordinate discipline standards and facilitate international academic exchanges and collaborations. [6]