Shelley Berger, PhD
PHILADELPHIA – Shelley Berger, PhD, the Daniel S. Och University Professor and a Penn Integrates Knowledge Professor with appointments in the Perelman School of Medicine’s department of Cell and Developmental Biology and the School of Arts and Sciences (SAS)’ department of Biology, as well as Karen Goldberg, PhD, the Vagelos Professor of Energy Research in the SAS department of Chemistry, have been elected to the National Academy of Sciences (NAS), in “recognition of their distinguished and continuing achievements in original research.”
Berger and Goldberg are among 84 new members of the NAS elected this year, along with 21 foreign associates, bringing the total number of active members to 2,383 and the total number of foreign associates to 484. NAS election is considered one of the highest honors a scientist can receive.
Berger also serves as director of Penn Medicine’s Institute of Epigenetics. Her work focuses on how gene expression is influenced by changes in chromatin structure that arise from modifications to histone proteins. Her seminal contributions in the emerging field of epigenetics have implications for understanding aging, infection, cancer, and behavior.
Goldberg is the inaugural director of the Vagelos Institute of Energy Science. Her research aims to develop new catalytic systems to efficiently produce chemicals and fuels. By gaining a deep, mechanistic understanding of fundamental organometallic reactions.
New members will be formally inducted at the 2019 NAS Annual Meeting. A complete list of NAS members is available on the Academy’s website.
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