Three physician scientists from Vanderbilt University Medical Center have been elected this year to membership in the American Society for Clinical Investigation (ASCI), one of the nation’s oldest and most respected medical honor societies. They are:

Jonathan Brown, MD

• Jonathan Brown, MD, holder of the Riven Family Directorship in Cardiovascular Medicine, who investigates transcriptional control of abnormal gene expression in cardiometabolic disease states.

   

  

• Jim Cassat, MD, PhD, associate director of the Vanderbilt Institute for Infection, Immunology and Inflammation, and associate professor of Pediatrics, Biomedical Engineering, and Pathology, Microbiology & Immunology, who studies musculoskeletal infection and host-pathogen interactions.
• Matthew Semler, MD, MSc, assistant professor of Medicine, and Biomedical Engineering, who leads a national critical care clinical trials network that compares the effectiveness of common interventions in the emergency department and intensive care unit.

   

  

“It is my great pleasure to congratulate these remarkable individuals on their election to membership in the ASCI,” said Christopher Williams, MD, PhD, professor of Medicine, associate dean for Physician Scientist Education and Training, and ASCI Institutional Representative.

“Their election acknowledges their groundbreaking research has had a profound impact on the field of medicine,” Williams said. “This distinguished honor is a testament to their tireless dedication and commitment to advancing medical knowledge and improving patient outcomes.”

The new members will be recognized in April during the joint meeting of the ASCI, Association of American Physicians, and American Physician Scientists Association in Chicago. They are among 50 current, full-time Vanderbilt University faculty members who have been inducted into the ASCI since 1977.

VUMC is an influential advocate for increasing the supply of physician scientists nationally and internationally, and its faculty members have contributed significantly to the mission of the ASCI.

Kimryn Rathmell, MD, PhD, MMHC, former chair of Medicine who has been appointed director of the National Cancer Institute, and Lorraine Ware, MD, the Ralph and Lulu Owen Professor of Medicine, served back-to-back terms as ASCI Council president in 2020 and 2021.

Julie Bastarache, MD, associate professor of Medicine, is a member of the ASCI Council.

Anna Hemnes, MD, also associate professor of Medicine, is co-chair of the ASCI Physician Scientist Development Committee, which monitors, creates and supports programming for early-career physician scientists.