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Since 1885, the Association of American Physicians (AAP), an honorary medical society, has advocated for the advancement of scientific and practical medicine by promoting professional and social interaction among physician scientists, disseminating research, and recognizing outstanding physician scientists through membership into the organization. Election to the AAP is limited to 70 members per year and it is one of the highest honors a physician scientist may achieve in recognition of their credentials in basic or translational biomedical research.

I am pleased to share that this year, four faculty from the department of medicine (DoM) have been elected to AAP membership, which includes Arleen F. Brown, MD, PhD, Patricia A. Ganz, MD, Tzung Hsiai, MD, PhD, and Antoni Ribas, MD, PhD. Each of these physician scientists have made remarkable contributions to the advancement of medicine, they are committed to mentoring future generations of physicians and physician scientists and provide the exceptional patient care that supports our reputation as leaders in healthcare. The newly elected members join the ranks of of over 30 AAP members from the Department of Medicine at UCLA, 1300 active AAP members in the US and Canada that include Nobel laureates, members of the United States National Academy of Sciences, and the National Academy of Medicine.  

On behalf of the department, I extend our congratulations to this group and invite you to learn more about each newly elected member.

In addition to celebrating our faculty’s election to AAP membership, I had the privilege of joining Olujimi Ajijola, MD, PhD, Rajat Singh, MD, Zander Nguyen, MD, PhD and Utibe Essien, MD, MPH at the American Society for Clinical Investigation’s (ASCI) annual meeting where they were each bestowed awards in recognition of their contributions to research. Made up of over 3,000 physician-scientists from all medical specialties, the ASCI is a medical honor society dedicated to the advancement of research that extends our understanding of diseases, improves treatment, and whose members are committed to mentoring future generations of physician-scientists. Election to the ASCI is one of the highest honors afforded to mid-career physician scientists in the United States. Members of the ASCI have subsequently been elected to membership of the National Academy of Medicine and the National Academy of Sciences.

Dr. Ajijola and Dr. Singh celebrated their election to the ASCI. Each year, the ASCI considers hundreds of nominations for membership with bylaws limiting recommendation for membership to 100 candidates per year. Inductees are selected based on outstanding scholarly achievement.

Dr. Ajijola is noted for his exemplary research in the peripheral neural circuits that regulate the heart, utilizing cutting edge electrophysiologic, genetic, optical, and computational tools to examine how myocardial infarction structurally and functionally perturbs the sympathetic nervous system, and how this dysregulation drives arrhythmogenesis and sudden cardiac death risk.

Dr. Singh has been a leader in demonstrating the novel roles of autophagy in regulation of food intake, energy metabolism, cell signaling, and the circadian clock. His lab has also developed a novel feeding intervention that protects against fatty liver and type II diabetes in various mouse models of obesity and aging without the need to cut caloric intake.

I extend heartfelt congratulations to all award recipients from this past weekend who embody and advance the missions of the department of medicine. We continue to be inspired by their vision and commitment to driving research and medicine. You may view additional pictures from the AAP and ASCI annual meeting by clicking HERE or below.

#FaceofScience Campaign

In continuing our celebration of the physician scientist community, I would like to invite you to participate in a national social media campaign called #FaceOfScience taking place on Wednesday, April 26. This annual campaign is supported by the National Institutes of Health and brings together the scientific community for one day to show that a scientist can look like anyone and everyone. This is the third annual campaign organized by the Coordination and Evaluation Center (CEC) at UCLA and the Diversity Program Consortium (DPC), which is an initiative funded by the NIH to support innovation in research training and mentoring. The #FaceOfScience campaign was inspired by the CEC’s Enhance Science project, which uses visual media to increase diverse representation in science, technology, engineering, math and medicine (STEMM). Participating in the campaign is easy. Simply: 

• Write “#FaceOfScience” on a piece of paper. 
• Take a photo of yourself holding it. Post it to Instagram, Facebook or Twitter using the hashtag #FaceOfScience and tag @enhancescience.
• Tell us what you love most about being a scientist in your post. 

2023 DoM Strategic Planning Survey

Last week, we invited the department of medicine to participate in our strategic planning process by taking part in the 2023 DoM Strategic Planning Survey. If you have not had a chance to submit your responses, please do so by April 28, 2023 by visiting HERE. Your feedback is essential as we plan for our future.

Reminder: Voting to Approve DoM Compensation Plan Bylaws Ends TODAY

For faculty members in the DoM Compensation Plan, today is the last day to vote for approval of our bylaws, which have been updated. You have received ballots directly to your emails.

Dale

P.S.

At the end of each AAP meeting, the now > 100-year gavel that was made from the wood of the original founder of the AAP Sir William Osler’s house, is passed from the outgoing president to the incoming president. This is what is looks like.  It lives in a wooden box, pray that the next president does not lose it as he goes through the TSA check at O’Hare Airport.

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