Yale Researcher Elected to National Academy of Sciences

A Yale researcher is among 60 new members and 15 foreign associates from 9 countries to be elected to the National Academy of Sciences for distinguished and continued achievements in original research.

A Yale researcher is among 60 new members and 15 foreign associates from 9 countries to be elected to the National Academy of Sciences for distinguished and continued achievements in original research.

Charles A. Janeway, Jr., M.D., professor of immunobiology, biology and dermatology at Yale was elected to the Academy during its 137th annual meeting. Membership in the academy is considered one of the highest honors that can be accorded an American scientist or engineer.

Janeway is known for both his theoretical insights in understanding immune responses and his experimental skills. He was the first person to advocate that new thought be given to the role of inherited defense against common microorganisms. Janeway has also spent much of his career defining the mechanism influencing the development and survival of T lymphocytes, important cells for recognition and clearance of infectious organisms.

Janeway is also known for his broad views on immunology and medicine and has continued to propose new and insightful theories on immunology and disease. He has co-authored a textbook of immunology that is widely used and praised in the training of medical scientists.

Janeway has always had a strong commitment to teaching. During his 27 years at Yale, many postdoctoral and clinical fellows, graduate and undergraduate students have trained in his laboratory and contributed to his research. In 1991, he won the Bohmfalk Award for best basic science teaching in the medical school curriculum. He also co-chairs the Dean’s Committee for Medical Education.

Janeway comes from a family of doctors and scientists. His grandfather, Theodore Caldwell Janeway, discovered a means to measure blood pressure. His father, Charles A. Janeway, discovered the first immunodeficiency disease and one of his daughters, Katherine Janeway, will soon graduate from Harvard Medical School.

The National Academy of Sciences is a private organization of scientists and engineers dedicated to furthering science and its use for the general welfare. The Academy was established in 1863 by a congressional act of incorporation signed by Abraham Lincoln that calls on the Academy to act as an official adviser to the Federal government, upon request, in any matter of science and technology.

Share this with Facebook Share this with X Share this with LinkedIn Share this with Email Print this

Media Contact

Karen N. Peart: karen.peart@yale.edu, 203-980-2222