UCLA vice chancellor for research elected to Institute of Medicine

UCLA’s vice chancellor for research was elected Monday to the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies, one of the highest honors in health and medicine.

Dr. James Economou was one of 70 new members elected to the institute this year.

Before he became the senior research officer at UCLA, Economou founded the UCLA Human Gene Medicine Program and was deputy director of the Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center at UCLA. He was also president-elect of the American Surgical Association.

The institute recognizes people who it says have shown “outstanding professional achievement and commitment to service,” according to a statement on the institute’s website.

Compiled by Sam Hoff, Bruin senior staff.