Elaine R. Mardis, PhD, co-executive director of the Steve and Cindy Rasmussen Institute for Genomic Medicine at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, has been elected to the National Academy of Medicine (NAM), the first faculty member from Nationwide Children’s to be appointed to this prestigious organization.
(COLUMBUS, Ohio) – Today, Elaine R. Mardis, PhD, co-executive director of the Steve and Cindy Rasmussen Institute for Genomic Medicine at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, was elected to the National Academy of Medicine (NAM), the first faculty member from Nationwide Children’s to be appointed to this prestigious organization. Election to NAM is considered one of the highest honors in the fields of health and medicine and recognizes individuals who have demonstrated outstanding professional achievement and commitment to service.
New members are elected by current members through a process that recognizes individuals who have made major contributions to the advancement of the medical sciences, health care and public health. A diversity of talent among NAM’s membership is assured by its Articles of Organization, which stipulate that at least one-quarter of the membership is selected from fields outside the health professions — for example, from such fields as law, engineering, social sciences and the humanities.
“These newly-elected members represent the most exceptional scholars and leaders whose remarkable work has advanced science, medicine and health in the U.S. and around the globe,” said Victor J. Dzau, president of NAM. “Their expertise will be vital to addressing today’s most pressing health and scientific challenges and informing the future of health and medicine for the benefit of us all. I am honored to welcome these esteemed individuals to the National Academy of Medicine.”
Dr. Mardis, who is also the Steve and Cindy Rasmussen Nationwide Foundation Endowed Chair in Genomic Medicine, and a professor of pediatrics at The Ohio State University College of Medicine, joined Nationwide Children’s in 2016. She earned a B.S. in zoology at the University of Oklahoma and received her PhD. in chemistry and biochemistry also at Oklahoma. Dr. Mardis completed her postgraduate work in industry at BioRad Laboratories.
Prior to coming to Nationwide Children’s, Dr. Mardis was a member of the faculty of Washington University School of Medicine (1993-2016). She has authored more than 350 articles in prestigious peer-reviewed scientific and medical journals and has written book chapters for several medical textbooks.
Dr. Mardis serves as an associate editor for three peer-reviewed journals (Disease Models and Mechanisms, Molecular Cancer Research, and Annals of Oncology) and is editor-in-chief of Molecular Case Studies, published by Cold Spring Harbor Press. She gives lectures at scientific meetings worldwide, and was honored with the Morton K. Schwartz award from the American Association for Clinical Chemistry in 2016. Dr. Mardis has been listed since 2013 as one of the most highly cited researchers in the world by Thompson Reuters.
Dr. Mardis has been a member of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) since 2007, was elected as a Fellow of the Academy of the AACR in 2019, and is currently the AACR president.
About the National Academy of Medicine
The National Academy of Medicine, established in 1970 as the Institute of Medicine, is an independent organization of eminent professionals from diverse fields including health and medicine; the natural, social, and behavioral sciences; and beyond. It serves alongside the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Engineering as an adviser to the nation and the international community. Through its domestic and global initiatives, the NAM works to address critical issues in health, medicine, and related policy and inspire positive action across sectors. The NAM collaborates closely with its peer academies and other divisions within the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.
NOTE TO EDITOR: Dr. Mardis is a current resident of Columbus, OH (43215), and is a native of North Platte, NE (69101).