Garcia–Blanco, Li elected to VASEM
The Virginia Academy of Science, Engineering and Medicine announced the election of 22 new members, including American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology members Mariano Garcia–Blanco and Liwu Li. VASEM recognizes Virginians who are leaders in science, engineering and medicine. Members of VASEM include National Academy honorees who reside in Virginia, as well as individuals nominated by current VASEM members. VASEM hosts annual summits and operates The Commonwealth of Virginia Engineering and Sciences Graduate Policy Fellows Program, which places graduate students in legislative and policy offices and brings together expert voices to inform research, policy and decision-making across Virginia.
Garcia–Blanco is the chair of microbiology, immunology and cancer biology at the University of Virginia School of Medicine. His research focuses on RNA-binding proteins in infection and immunity. He is specifically interested in the role of alternative splicing by RNA helicase DEAD box helicase 39B in regulating immune function. Garcia–Blanco is a member of the National Academy of Sciences and the Association of American Physicians. He is also a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the American Academy of Microbiology and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
Li is a professor of inflammation biology and immunology and a College of Science Faculty Fellow at Virginia Tech. His research focuses on the regulation and dynamics of innate immune responses, with his group pioneering the paradigm-shifting concept of innate immune memory ranging from low-grade inflammation to exhaustion. His work demonstrates how innate immune cells can retain memory of the relative strength and duration of danger and damage signals. He is also an elected fellow of both the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the American Heart Association. Li serves on the editorial board for several academic journals, including the Journal of Biological Chemistry.
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