David S. Wilkes, MD, the dean of our School of Medicine, has been elected to the prestigious National Academy of Medicine. It's one of the highest honors a physician-scientist can receive.
Dean Wilkes is a man of many accomplishments, not least of which is steadily increasing the School of Medicine's funding from the National Institutes of Health. That generous support helps make possible most of the discoveries you read about here. In fiscal year 2019, we set a UVA record of $146.3 million in NIH awards.
During his tenure as dean, he has worked diligently to diversify our faculty and ensure that all people feel welcome at the School of Medicine, and that they can do great work here.
He's also a distinguished scientist in his own right. He holds six patents, has co-authored more than 100 research papers and co-founded ImmuneWorks Inc., which developed treatments for immune-mediated lung diseases such as idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.
“David has had a tremendous career as a researcher, a leader in academic medicine and as an educator and mentor to countless physician-scientists,” said K. Craig Kent, MD, UVA’s executive vice president for health affairs. “He is truly deserving of this honor.”
Congratulations to Dean Wilkes!