David Page elected to Institute of Medicine

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Whitehead Director David C. Page has been elected to the Institute of Medicine (IOM), one of the highest honors in the fields of health and medicine.

Page, who is also a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator and professor of biology at Massachusetts Institute of Technology was one of 65 new members and five foreign associates announced by the IOM at its 38th annual meeting.

Election to the IOM recognizes individuals who have demonstrated outstanding professional achievement and commitment to service. "Members are elected through a highly selective process that recognizes people who have made major contributions to the advancement of the medical sciences, health care, and public health," said IOM President Harvey V. Fineberg.

Working in reproductive genetics and development, Page is best known for studies of the Y chromosome. His lab continues to advance our understanding of this chromosome (aiding the understanding of the causes of male infertility) and works to decipher how mammalian germ cells develop either into eggs or sperm precursors

The Institute of Medicine is unique for its structure as both an honorific membership organization and an advisory organization. Established in 1970 by the National Academy of Sciences, IOM has become recognized as a national resource for independent, scientifically informed analysis and recommendations on human health issues. With their election, members make a commitment to volunteer a significant amount of time as members of IOM committees, which engage in a broad range of studies on health policy issues.

A diversity of talent among IOM's membership is assured by the Institute's charter, which stipulates that at least one-quarter of the membership is selected from outside the health professions, for example, from such fields as the natural, social, and behavioral sciences; law; engineering; and the humanities. Current active members elect new members from among candidates nominated for their outstanding accomplishments. The newly elected members raise IOM's total active membership to 1,576 and the number of foreign associates to 89. With another 71 members holding emeritus status, IOM's total membership is now 1,736.