Mission Lucidity scientific co-lead and project coordinator Prof. Dr. Bart De Strooper has been elected as member of the US National Academy of Medicine (NAM) “for his work in understanding the mechanisms of Alzheimer’s disease in an unrelenting search for therapeutic targets that can help patients”.

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.

New members are elected by current members through a process that recognizes individuals who have made major contributions to the advancement of the medical sciences, health care, and public health. A diversity of talent among NAM’s membership is assured by its Articles of Organization, which stipulate that at least one-quarter of the membership is selected from fields outside the health professions — for example, from such fields as law, engineering, social sciences, and the humanities.

In a news release by the UK Dementia Research Institute, one of our CURE-ND partners and of which he is the director, Prof. De Strooper said: “I am delighted and honoured to be elected as a member of this prestigious organisation, and I look forward to helping the Academy advance towards its mission of improving health for all. We have made great progress in the field of dementia discovery research in recent years, and I am hopeful that we are close to a breakthrough that will lead to effective treatments for these devastating diseases.”

NAM President Victor J. Dzau said: “This extraordinary class of new members is comprised of exceptional scholars and leaders who have been at the forefront of responding to serious public health challenges, combatting social inequities, and achieving innovative discoveries. Their expertise will be vital to informing the future of health and medicine for the benefit of us all. I am truly honored to welcome these esteemed individuals to the National Academy of Medicine.”

Established originally as the Institute of Medicine in 1970 by the National Academy of Sciences, NAM addresses critical issues in health, science, medicine, and related policy and inspires positive actions across sectors. NAM works alongside the National Academy of Sciences and National Academy of Engineering to provide independent, objective analysis and advice to the nation and conduct other activities to solve complex problems and inform public policy decisions. The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine also encourage education and research, recognize outstanding contributions to knowledge, and increase public understanding of STEMM. With their election, NAM members make a commitment to volunteer their service in National Academies activities.