On October 17th the National Academy of Medicine (NAM) announced the election of 90 regular members and 10 international members during its annual meeting. Election to the Academy 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.
Jonathan Kipnis, PhD, professor of pathology and immunology, Washington University, St. Louis. For his breakthrough discovery of meningeal lymphatic vessels that drain central nervous system (CNS) fluids into peripheral lymph nodes and serve as a physical connection between the brain and immune system. This finding challenged the prevailing dogma of CNS being an “immune privileged organ.” The implications of this work range from neurodegenerative to neuroinflammatory diseases.