Inside Duke Medicine
2 faculty are elected as new AAAS fellows
posted December 19th, 2008Two faculty members from Duke University Medical Center are among 486 scientists elected as fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) this year.
They are Thomas G. Mitchell, Ph.D., associate professor of molecular genetics and neurobiology, and Dale Purves, M.D., director of the Duke Center for Cognitive Neuroscience and George Barth Geller Professor for Research in Neurobiology.
Mitchell was selected for distinguished contributions to the field of microbial pathogenesis, elucidating fungal-immune cell interactions, population structures of human pathogens, and how sex enables pathogen emergence.
Purves was selected for contributions of great breadth that have ranged from developmental neurobiology to sensory perception, as well as for distinguished leadership as an editor, author and administrator.
AAAS, publisher of the journal Science, selected fellows to recognize research efforts that are deemed scientifically or socially distinguished.
“This honor can be considered a validation of years of research by an independent body of prominent scientists,” Mitchell said. “More significantly, this recognition is a testament to the exciting research environment here at Duke, which has stimulated and fostered my ability to collaborate with outstanding students, postdoctoral scientists and faculty members. Indeed, my achievements are entirely attributable to the wonderful resources and collegial atmosphere at Duke.”
Purves said he was honored to be elected to this group of scientists.
The new fellows will be recognized on Feb. 14, 2009, at the AAAS Annual Meeting in Chicago. The tradition of AAAS Fellows began in 1874.