Congratulations, Dr. Maria E. Bottazzi and Dr. Teresa A. Davis, Baylor’s newly elected members to the National Academy of Medicine!

Dr. Maria Elena Bottazzi, senior associate dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine and co-director of the Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, and Dr. Teresa A. Davis, professor of pediatrics – nutrition at the USDA/ARS Children’s Nutrition Research Center at Baylor and Texas Children’s, have been elected to the National Academy of Medicine. They are among 90 regular members and 10 international inductees announced at the Academy’s annual meeting.

Election to the National Academy of Medicine 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.

“Drs. Bottazzi and Davis are leaders in innovation. Dr. Bottazzi’s work to advance vaccines has helped the world’s poorest populations that are disproportionally affected by infectious diseases, while Dr. Davis’ expertise in protein and amino acid requirements have created strategies to improve lean growth and health of infants,” said Dr. Paul Klotman, president, CEO and executive dean of Baylor. “As global leaders in their respective fields, they are extremely deserving of this honor. We look forward to their continued achievements in medicine.”

Bottazzi is a professor of pediatrics and molecular virology and microbiology and division chief of pediatric tropical medicine at Baylor. She is a tropical and emerging disease vaccinologist, global health advocate and co-creator of a patent-free COVID-19 vaccine technology, which led to the development of Corbevax in India and IndoVac in Indonesia with approximately 100 million doses delivered, and for which she and Dr. Peter Hotez were nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize. She pioneers and leads the advancement of a robust infectious disease vaccine portfolio, tackling diseases that affect disproportionally the world’s poorest populations. Her work focuses on developing vaccines and therapeutics for neglected tropical diseases such as hookworm, schistosomiasis, Chagas disease and tick-borne diseases.

I am humbled and honored to be elected to the National Academy of Medicine,” Bottazzi said. “This achievement reflects the shared vision by all the members of our Center for Vaccine Development, Texas Children’s Hospital and Baylor College of Medicine, to use the power of the vaccine sciences as a means to promote and achieve global health equity and improve the lives of millions of people around the world.”

Davis has international expertise in the nutritional and hormonal regulation of growth and has identified fundamental mechanisms by which nutrients regulate muscle protein synthesis and growth, with direct implications for improving lean growth and the health of infants. She also is a global leader in protein and amino acid requirements. Davis has been continuously funded by the NIH and USDA for more than 30 years, and has worked with collaborators both within the CNRC as well as at other universities in the U.S. She is director of the CNRC Postdoctoral Fellowship Program and has trained dozens of Ph.D. and M.D. postdoctoral students and summer students at the CNRC and been awarded the Department of Pediatrics award for mentorship. She was elected as the President of both the American Society for Nutrition and the American Society of Animal Science and has served on the USDA/HHS Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee. She presently serves on a National Academy of Medicine committee on infant formula.

I’m very honored to be elected to the National Academy of Medicine, which reflects the long-standing excellence in science in the USDA/ARS Children’s Nutrition Research Center at Baylor College of Medicine,” Davis said.

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, healthcare, and public health.

Bottazzi and Davis join a group of distinguished scientists from Baylor College of Medicine in the National Academy of Medicine.

By Homa Warren

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