Jorge Galán, PhD, DVM, Lucille P. Markey Professor of Microbial Pathogenesis and professor of cell biology, has been elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Each year, the academy — an honorary society and independent policy organization with initiatives in the arts, democracy, education, global affairs, and science — elects new members in recognition of their notable achievements in academia, industry, policy, research, and science. The nearly 270 new members include more than 40 International Honorary Members from 23 countries.
Galán's laboratory studies the pathogenesis of two intestinal pathogens, Salmonella Enterica and Campylobacter jejuni, which account for the majority of cases of infectious diarrhea worldwide and have led to an estimated 2 million deaths globally. His lab takes a multidisciplinary approach that involves bacterial genetics, biochemistry, cell biology, immunology, and structural biology to define the molecular details of the host-pathogen interactions. He has received numerous awards for his work. Among other affiliations, he is a member of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the National Academy of Science, and the National Academy of Medicine.
Galán is one of nine Yale faculty members who were elected to the academy this year. The academy's 269 new members include more than 40 International Honorary Members from 23 countries.
“With the election of these members, the academy is honoring excellence, innovation, and leadership and recognizing a broad array of stellar accomplishments,” said David W. Oxtoby, president of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. “We hope every new member celebrates this achievement and joins our work advancing the common good.”
The academy was founded in 1780 by John Adams, John Hancock, and other early leaders of the United States with the purpose of honoring exceptionally accomplished individuals and engaging them in the betterment of society. The first members elected in 1781 included Benjamin Franklin and George Washington.
Other newly elected members include actress Michelle Yeoh; songwriter, actor, director, and producer Lin-Manuel Miranda; social psychologist James W. Pennebaker; poet, essayist, and translator Ilya Kaminsky; and author Zadie Smith. The new members join a distinguished group of individuals who have been members of the academy, including Charles Darwin, Albert Einstein, Robert Frost, Martin Luther King Jr., Stephen Hawking, Bryan Stevenson, and Joan Baez.