November 7, 2005: The president of the Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research Mark Fishman is among the 64 scientists who have been elected new members of the Institute of Medicine (IOM) this year. Mark was chosen for his major scientific achievements, particularly for being a driving force in the introduction of the zebrafish as a model organism and his contributions to the understanding of the development of the heart and blood vessels.

“I am delighted and honored, and look forward to help foster the missions of the IOM,” says Mark.

The IOM as well as the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineers and the National Research Council, make up “The National Academies.” They are all prestigious American nonprofit and honorific membership organizations. The role of the IOM is to serve as a national resource for independent analyses and recommendations on issues related to medicine, biomedical sciences, and health. The Institute’s work centers principally on committee reports or studies on subjects ranging from quality of medical care to the national smallpox vaccination program. These studies have been relied upon for 30 years to provide policy-makers with objective, scientifically sound advice.     

The 1600 members of the IOM serve without compensation. They are leading national and international scientists, mainly employed in academia, governmental or non-governmental agencies, research organizations and foundations; members working in industry represent under 2%. Every year current members elect new members from a slate of candidates nominated for their professional achievements.