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Grantees in the News: Judith Campisi and Ana Maria Cuervo elected to esteemed scientific academies

AFAR is pleased to share the news that two of our experts have been elected to esteemed scientific academies:

1990 Glenn Foundation for Medical Research and AFAR Grant for Junior Faculty Judith Campisi, Ph.D. has been elected to the National Academy of Sciences, and 2008 Vincent Cristofalo Rising Star Award in Aging Research and 2000 Glenn Foundation for Medical Research and AFAR Grant for Junior Faculty Ana Maria Cuervo, M.D., Ph.D. has been elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

The National Academy of Sciences elects members based on “recognition of their distinguished and continuing achievements in original research. Membership is a widely accepted mark of excellence in science and is considered one of the highest honors that a scientist can receive,” according to their website.

Dr. Campisi’s election recognized her contributions to understanding why aging is the largest single risk factor for a host of chronic diseases, ranging from Alzheimer’s disease to cancer and her research on senescent cells, a type of cell associated with aging, tissue degradation, and promotion of disease. Dr. Campisi is a scientific co-founder of Unity Biotechnology, which is developing a number of therapies intended to selectively eliminate senescent cells and restore tissue to a more functionally healthy state.

The American Academy of Arts and Sciences elects members based on the world’s most accomplished scientists, scholars, artists, business people, and public leaders.

Dr. Cuervo’s election honors her research in autophagy, a process cells use to dispose of or recycle their waste products, including damaged proteins and organelles, and the contribution of autophagy failure to aging and age-related diseases. Her research has resulted in better insights and possible treatments for a number of diseases, including Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease and cancer.

Read more about Dr. Campisi’s election to the National Academy of Sciences here and Dr. Cuervo’s election to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences here.


Judith Campisi, Ph.D. is a Professor at the Buck Institute for Research on Aging.

Ana Maria Cuervo, M.D., Ph.D., is a Professor in Developmental & Molecular Biology, Anatomy & Structural Biology, and the Department of Medicine at Albert Einstein College of Medicine. She is also the Co-director of the Nathan Shock Centers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine.

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