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Lewis C. Cantley, the Margaret and Herman Sokol Professor in Oncology Research and a professor of cancer biology in medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College, and Dr. Catherine Lord, the DeWitt Senior Scholar and a professor of psychology in psychiatry and of psychology in pediatrics at Weill Cornell, have been elected to the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies. Membership in IOM is one of the highest honors in the fields of health and medicine.

Dr. Cantley, the Meyer Director of the Sandra and Edward Meyer Cancer Center at Weill Cornell, and Dr. Lord, director of the Center for Autism and the Developing Brain, a collaboration between Weill Cornell Medical College, NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, and Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, are among 70 new members and 10 foreign associates elected this year in recognition of their demonstrated outstanding professional achievement and commitment to service. The IOM announced its newest group of members on Oct. 20 during its 44th annual meeting in Washington, D.C.

"I am thrilled that Dr. Cantley and Dr. Lord are joining the ranks of the prestigious Institute of Medicine," said Dr. Laurie H. Glimcher, the Stephen and Suzanne Weiss Dean of Weill Cornell Medical College. "Lew and Cathy are both extraordinary leaders in medicine and science who have transformed their fields and significantly improved the lives of patients. I congratulate them both on this tremendous and much deserved accolade."

"I am honored and deeply humbled to be selected for membership in the Institute of Medicine," Dr. Cantley said. "It's a tremendous privilege to be in the company of such remarkable professionals who have made significant contributions to advance health and medicine, and I am excited for the opportunity to work together to make a difference in the lives of patients."

"It's a privilege to be elected into the Institute of Medicine, and I couldn't be more honored," Dr. Lord said. "I've spent my career working to transform the way we understand and treat autism spectrum disorders, and membership provides me with an opportunity to have a greater voice for patients and their families around the country."

IOM elects new members each year to recognize their contributions to the advancement of the medical sciences, healthcare and public health. At least of quarter of members are selected from fields outside the health professions, such as engineering, social sciences, law and the humanities. The newly elected members raise IOM's total active membership to 1,798 and the number of foreign associates to 128. With an additional 86 members holding emeritus status, IOM's total membership is 2,012.

Established in 1970 by the National Academy of Sciences, IOM is a recognized national resource for independent, scientifically informed analysis and recommendations on health issues. Elected members make a commitment to volunteer on IOM committees, boards and other activities.

This article first appeared on the WCM newsroom.