Two Yale faculty elected to National Academy of Medicine

Yale’s Michelle Bell and Daniel Colón-Ramos were among 100 new members elected to the National Academy of Medicine (NAM), the academy announced Oct. 19.

Election to the National Academy of Medicine is considered one of the highest honors in the fields of health and medicine. It recognizes individuals who have made major contributions to the advancement of the medical sciences, health care, and public health, and who have demonstrated commitment to service.

The new members were announced during NAM’s annual meeting.

Bell, the Mary E. Pinchot Professor of Environmental Health at the Yale School of the Environment (YSE), was elected for her research which focuses on how human health is affected by environmental conditions, including air pollution, weather, and climate change. She also examines environmental justice.

In recognition of her work, Bell has received the Prince Albert II de Monaco/Institut Pasteur Award, the Rosenblith New Investigator Award, and the NIH Outstanding New Environmental Scientist (ONES) Award.

Colón-Ramos, the McConnell Duberg Professor of Neuroscience and Cell Biology in the department of neuroscience, was recognized “for making fundamental discoveries regarding the cell biology of the synapse,’’ the academy wrote.  His lab focuses on how neuronal synapses are formed and maintained to control behavior and store memories. 

Colón-Ramos was a recipient of the 2018 National Institutes of Health Pioneer Award, the 2018 Landis Award for Outstanding Mentorship from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, the American Association for the Advancement of Science Early Career Award, and the Sloan Research Fellowship. 

Established originally as the Institute of Medicine in 1970 by the National Academy of Sciences, the U.S. National Academy of Medicine addresses critical issues in health, science, medicine, and related policy and inspires positive actions across sectors. NAM works alongside the National Academy of Sciences and National Academy of Engineering to provide independent, objective analysis and advice to the nation and conduct other activities to solve complex problems and inform public policy decisions.