Posted Nov. 18, 2010
Dr. Michael D. Lairmore of Columbus, Ohio, was elected Oct. 11 as a member of the National Academy of Sciences' Institute of Medicine.
He is an associate dean for research and graduate studies and professor at The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine.
Dr. Lairmore, a researcher at Ohio State's Comprehensive Cancer Center, came to the university in 1990 after heading the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Human T-lymphotropic Virus Reference Laboratory in Atlanta. While there, he focused on the linkages among human T-cell leukemia viruses and specific diseases, including some forms of cancer.
Dr. Lairmore's research has primarily focused on the biology of human retroviruses, including the roles some viruses play in the onset of certain types of cancer. He developed one of the first animal models for AIDS-associated pediatric pneumonia, facilitating studies aimed at treating that ailment.
Each year, the full membership of the IOM elects up to 65 new members and five foreign associates. Members are elected for their excellence and professional achievement in a field relevant to the IOM's mission and for their willingness to participate actively in its work. Fewer than 20 veterinarians are counted among the institute's ranks.
Dr. Lairmore is a 1981 graduate of the University of Missouri-Columbia College of Veterinary Medicine. He was named a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in 2004 and is a diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Pathologists and the American College of Veterinary Microbiologists. |