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OHSU experts elected to the National Academy of Medicine, one of the highest honors in the fields of health, medicine

Lisa Coussens, Ph.D., and David Huang, M.D., Ph.D., are national leaders in cancer research and eye care, respectively
OHSU's David Huang, M.D., Ph.D., and Lisa Coussens, Ph.D., were elected to the National Academy of Medicine, which "recognizes individuals who have demonstrated outstanding professional achievement and commitment to service," (OHSU) Image is of Huang, left, who has short dark hair, and a light mustache, wearing a white dress shirt and black blazer, smiling in his office. To the right, an image of Coussens, who has shoulder-length gray hair, eye glasses, a brown shirt with tan shawl, smiling at the Knight Cancer Institute.
OHSU's David Huang, M.D., Ph.D., and Lisa Coussens, Ph.D., were elected to the National Academy of Medicine, which "recognizes individuals who have demonstrated outstanding professional achievement and commitment to service." (OHSU)

In recognition of their contributions to the fields of cancer research and eye disease diagnosis and care, respectively, Lisa Coussens, Ph.D., and David Huang, M.D., Ph.D., have been elected to the National Academy of Medicine.

They join 98 other newly elected members this year. Election to the academy is considered one of the highest honors a scientist or clinician can receive in health and medicine, and “recognizes individuals who have demonstrated outstanding professional achievement and commitment to service.”

In total, OHSU now has 13 faculty members who have been elected to the National Academy of Medicine.

“Dr. Huang and Dr. Coussens have made incredible contributions that have sharpened our understanding of complex health and scientific challenges,” said OHSU President Danny Jacobs, M.D., M.P.H., FACS, who was elected to the National Academy of Medicine in 2001. “On behalf of the entire OHSU community, we proudly celebrate their achievements.”

Lisa Coussens, Ph.D.

Coussens is recognized for her paradigm-shifting mechanistic studies on inflammation and cancer that identified B cell and myeloid cell significance in fostering solid tumor progression and hindering therapeutic responses. She subsequently translated her pre-clinical studies from the lab to patients and, with clinical colleagues, conducted proof-of-concept clinical studies, successfully demonstrating that targeting B cell or myeloid-based molecular pathways yield systemic and tumor-immune reprogramming, fostering anti-tumor immunity.

In 2023, Coussens was elected to the National Academy of Sciences. The National Academy of Medicine distinction brings her into an elite category group of just two other OHSU faculty members who are members of both academies. That group includes Coussens, OHSU Knight Cancer Institute CEO Brian Druker, M.D., and Eric Gouaux, Ph.D., professor and senior scientist in the OHSU Vollum Institute.

“The future of cancer research is bright because of scientists like Dr. Coussens,” Druker said. “She is an esteemed leader who is not afraid to ask the tough questions and bring the best out of every person who collaborates with her. I am so proud to see Dr. Coussens’ seminal work on the immune system’s role in cancer receive this well-deserved recognition.”

Since arriving at OHSU in 2011, Coussens has received a variety of international awards. In 2023, she concluded a successful year-long term as president of the American Association of Cancer Research (2022 – 23).  She was elected as a fellow of the American Association for Advancement of Science in 2018, a fellow of the American Association for Cancer Research Academy in 2019, and a fellow of the Society for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer in 2022.

Coussens is the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute’s deputy director of basic and translational research and professor and chair of the Department of Cell, Developmental and Cancer Biology in the OHSU School of Medicine. She also holds the Hildegard Lamfrom Endowed Chair in Basic Science.

David Huang, M.D., Ph.D.

Huang, an ophthalmologist and research engineer, is elected to the National Academy of Medicine a year after he became the first OHSU representative inducted into the National Academy of Engineering. That same year, 2023, he and his co-inventors received the prestigious Lasker-DeBakey Clinical Medical Research Award and the National Medal of Technology and Innovation, which was presented by President Biden.

Huang co-invented optical coherence tomography, or OCT, which is used in more than 40 million imaging procedures annually worldwide to diagnose and treat the leading causes of blindness, including macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy and glaucoma. In addition, OCT is now used for medical conditions involving the heart, brain, skin, digestive tract and more.  

Cardiovascular specialists increasingly use it to evaluate plaque buildup and guide stent placement inside blocked arteries. OCT also helps diagnose skin cancer and measure neurodegeneration from multiple sclerosis and other neurologic conditions. 

Huang continues to improve the technology through research at the Center for Ophthalmic Optics and Lasers in the OHSU Casey Eye Institute, where he leads 40 scientists, students and staff in advancing biomedical imaging.   

“The groundbreaking work by Dr. Huang and the incredible team in the COOL Lab has not only transformed patient care but has also inspired countless researchers and clinicians worldwide,” said Andreas Lauer, M.D., director of the Casey Eye Institute. “His induction into both the National Academy of Engineering and the National Academy of Medicine is a testament to his and his team’s exceptional contributions to the field of ophthalmology and unwavering commitment to advancing vision science.”

Lauer noted that only a handful of people have ever been inducted to the engineering and medicine academies, including scientific luminaries such as Jennifer Doudna, Ph.D., a pioneer in CRISPR gene editing technology, and Anthony Fauci, M.D., the now-retired longtime director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.

Huang is director of research, associate director and World Family Endowed Chair in Ophthalmic Imaging at the Casey Eye Institute, as well as professor of ophthalmology and biomedical engineering in the OHSU School of Medicine. He holds 42 patents and has published more than 300 peer-reviewed scientific articles, which have been cited more than 65,000 times in scientific articles.

About The National Academy of Medicine

The National Academy of Medicine (NAM) is one of three academies that make up the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (the National Academies) in the United States. The NAM has more than 2,400 members elected by their peers in recognition of outstanding achievement. Through a commitment to volunteer service, NAM members help guide the work and advance the mission of the NAM and the National Academies. Operating under the 1863 Congressional charter of the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academies are private, nonprofit institutions that work outside of government to provide objective advice on matters of science, technology, and health. With their election, NAM members make a commitment to volunteer their service in National Academies activities.

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