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Recognised for his outstanding contributions to the field of immunology, Michael becomes the fourth Kennedy professor to be elected to the Academy.

Horizontal portraite of Professor Michael Dustin

The National Academy of Sciences (NAS) announced today that Dr Michael L. Dustin is among its 120 newly elected members, recognising distinguished and continuing achievements in original research. Dr Dustin is Professor of Molecular Immunology, and Director of Research at the Kennedy Institute for Rheumatology at NDORMS.  

Professor Fiona Powrie, Director of the Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, who was also elected to the National Academy of Sciences in 2020 said: “Membership of NAS is one of the highest honours a US scientist can receive, and Mike is highly deserving. The award recognises his international leadership in molecular immunology and pioneering work to understand how T lymphocytes recognise and respond to target cells. This has been fundamental for modern day efforts to develop new therapies that target the T cell response, including in immune-oncology. 

“Being elected to NAS is a great honour for me as I was elected by many of my most respected peers from the fields of immunology, cell biology and across the sciences,” said MichaelMy work is highly collaborative, so this is also a recognition of my mentors, including Scott Peterson, Tim Springer, Stuart Kornfeld and Emil Unanue, and all the technicians, students, post-docs, and visiting professors who have spent time in my lab over the past 40 years in science. Its deeply moving to think about all the effort and ingenuity that my induction into NAS recognises.” 

On congratulating Michael, Professor Tony Hunter, Molecular and Cell Biology Laboratory, at the Salk Institute, La Jolla, California said: "This is a truly well-deserved recognition of your pioneering work on the reconstitution of the immune synapse on supported lipid bilayers, and what it has taught us."

Michael is the fourth professor from the Kennedy Institute to have been elected to NAS. 

NAS is a private, non-profit institution that was established under a congressional charter signed by President Abraham Lincoln in 1863. It recognises achievement in science by election to membership, and—with the National Academy of Engineering and the National Academy of Medicine—provides science, engineering, and health policy advice to the federal government and other organisations.