UTMB’s David Herndon elected to the National Academy of Medicine

Dr. David Herndon of The University of Texas Medical Branch was elected to the National Academy of Medicine.

Herndon is the Jesse H. Jones Distinguished Chair in Burn Surgery, Professor of Surgery and Pediatrics, Director of the Institute for Translational Sciences at UTMB and the Director of Research at the Shriners Hospitals for Children in Galveston.

His research programs have been continuously funded by the National Institutes of Health, Shriners Hospital for Children, the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation, and many foundations for more than 37 years.

“Dr. Herndon merits this honor for his numerous contributions as a world-leading, surgeon-scientist that have improved our understanding of the metabolic effects of burn injury and changed how burned patients are treated,” said Dr. Danny Jacobs, the president of Oregon Health & Science University and the former provost and dean of the School of Medicine at UTMB.

Herndon began his career in burn research in 1977 while in the U. S. Army. After joining UTMB in 1981, Herndon has advanced groundbreaking burn research. He has won multiple awards for his work and leadership including the Annie Laurie Howard Distinguished Professorship, the Harvey Stuart Allen Distinguished Service Award from the American Burn Association, the Flance-Karl Award from the American Surgical Association, the Medallion for Scientific Achievement by the American Surgical Association and the Tanner-Vandeput-Boswick Burn Prize from the International Society for Burn Injuries.

“Being elected is a tremendous honor,” Herndon said. “I owe the honor to my colleagues and patients at Shriners Hospitals and UTMB for the last 37 years.”

Founded in 1970, The National Academy of Medicine is an independent organization of eminent professionals from diverse fields. It serves alongside the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Engineering as an adviser to the nation and the international community. Election to the academy is meant to be one of the highest honors in the fields of health and medicine and to recognize those who have demonstrated outstanding professional achievement and commitment to service, according to the academy.