She has received international acclaim for her contributions to understanding why aging is the largest single risk factor for a host of chronic diseases, ranging from Alzheimer's disease to cancer

The Buck Institute for Research on Aging announced today that Professor Judy Campisi has been elected to the National Academy of Sciences (NAS). Election to the Academy is the highest honor for American scholars in recognition of their distinguished and continuing achievements in original research.

Dr. Campisi was among the 84 new members elected this year, bringing the total number of active members to 2,382. "Judy Campisi is one of the most innovative and passionate scientists I have ever known," said Dr. Eric Verdin, President and CEO of the Buck Institute. "She is incredibly deserving of this honor and all of us here at the Buck are immensely proud of her."

Judy Campisi has received international acclaim for her contributions to understanding why aging is the largest single risk factor for a host of chronic diseases, ranging from Alzheimer's disease to cancer. She is widely recognized for her work on senescent cells, a type of cell associated with aging, tissue degradation, and promotion of disease. Dr. Campisi is a scientific co-founder of Unity Biotechnology, which is developing a number of therapies intended to selectively eliminate senescent cells and restore tissue to a more functionally healthy state.

Dr. Campisi earned her PhD from the State University of New York at Stony Brook and completed her postdoctoral training at Harvard Medical School. She has been on the faculty at the Buck since 2002, and also holds an appointment at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.

The National Academy of Sciences is a private, nonprofit institution that was established under a congressional charter signed by President Abraham Lincoln in 1863. It recognizes achievement in science by election to membership, and -- with the National Academy of Engineering and National Academy of Medicine -- provides science, technology, and health policy advice to the federal government and other organizations.

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About the Buck Institute for Research on Aging