Jeffrey Whitsett, MD, Named to Institute of Medicine
CINCINNATI -- Jeffrey Whitsett, MD, chief of the Section of Neonatology, Perinatal and Pulmonary Biology at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, has been elected to membership in the prestigious Institute of Medicine (IOM) of the National Academy of Sciences.
Current active members elect new members from among candidates nominated for their professional achievement and commitment to service. Dr. Whitsett takes his place along with 64 other newly elected members and five foreign associate members. The IOM's total active membership is now 1,382.
Dr. Whitsett is one of the nation's leading researchers studying the lung. His work has resulted in significant advances in the clinical care of newborns. He played a major role in the development and testing of Survanta, a life-saving drug used to treat respiratory distress syndrome that is estimated to save the lives of at least 2,000 infants each year in the United States.
Dr. Whitsett's specialty interests also include lung structure and function and the pathogenesis of cystic fibrosis, a common cause of lung disease in older children. He is among the most honored pulmonary biologists in the nation, publishing more than 400 research papers, abstracts and book chapters. He lectures throughout the world, has received numerous awards and has attracted millions of dollars in funding for his work.
As leader of the newborn division at Children's, Dr. Whitsett has reorganized health-care delivery for newborns in the region, creating a truly integrated regional health care system for the care of infants.
Dr. Whitsett is a member of the Society for Pediatric Research, the American Thoracic Society and the American Society of Clinical Investigation. He is the recipient of the Mead Johnson Award from the Society for Pediatric Research, an NIH Merit Award, the William Cooper Procter Award from Cincinnati Children's, the Amberson Lecture Award from the American Thoracic Society and the Daniel Drake Medal from the UC College of Medicine.
Established in 1970, the IOM's mission is to advance and disseminate scientific knowledge to improve human health. The IOM is concerned with the protection and advancement of the health professions and sciences, the promotion of research and development pertinent to health, and the improvement of health care. Members are expected to maintain and exemplify the highest standard of scientific integrity.
In the pursuit of its mission, the IOM conducts studies of specific problems. Members contribute their expertise and professional judgment to the development of findings and the formulation of recommendations, most of which relate to public policy.
Contact Information
Jim Feuer, 513-636-4656,
jim.feuer@cchmc.org
