Dr. Michael Teitell, Director of Basic and Translational Research at UCLA’s Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, and a professor of pathology and laboratory medicine and pediatrics in the David Geffen School of Medicine and bioengineering in the Henry Samueli School of Engineering, has been named to the prestigious Association of American Physicians. Election to membership is among the most widely recognized international measures of scholarly excellence in academic medicine.
Teitell will accept his honor along with this year’s fellow inductees at the 2017 Association of American Physicians and American Society for Clinical Investigation Joint Meeting on Saturday, April 22 in Chicago, Illinois.
“We are extremely proud that Dr. Teitell’s outstanding achievements have been recognized with this honor,” said Dr. Kenneth Dorshkind, the UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center’s interim director and a professor of pathology and laboratory medicine at the David Geffen School of Medicine. “Dr. Teitell exemplifies what it means to be a physician-scientist, and this award recognizes his highly distinguished scholarly accomplishments and the outstanding leadership role at the Jonsson Cancer Center and UCLA.”
A widely renowned molecular immunologist and biochemist, Teitell started his research career focused on investigating the fundamental mechanisms that drive cancer initiation. This work lead to many innovative projects in the field of stem cell biology and cancer cell metabolism, including several pioneering collaborative studies that resulted in development of new approaches in cell engineering and cell response profiling. He is a co-inventor of the Photothermal Nanoblade for gently delivering large cargo (such as mitochondria or intracellular pathogens) into cells and the Live Cell Interferometer for real-time single cell response profiling of cancer and stem cells.
Teitell joined the faculty at UCLA in 1999. He was jointly appointed in the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine as well as the Department of Pediatrics in 2001, and the Department of Bioengineering in 2009. In addition, Teitell is the Latta Endowed Professor of Pathology, co-director of the UCLA Tumor Immunology Training Program and the Broad Stem Cell Research Center Bioengineering Core, associate director of the UCLA-Caltech Medical Scientist Training Program (M.D./Ph.D.), and the NCAA Faculty Athletics Representative for Intercollegiate Athletics at UCLA.
The Association of American Physicians (AAP) is a nonprofit, professional organization founded in 1885 by seven physicians for the advancement of scientific and practical medicine. The AAP is currently composed of over 1,300 active members and approximately 600 emeritus and honorary members from the United States, Canada and other countries.
The AAP’s goals include the pursuit of medical knowledge, and the advancement through experimentation and discovery of basic and clinical science and its application to clinical medicine. Each year, individuals having attained excellence in achieving these goals are recognized by nomination for membership by the Council of the Association. Their election gives them the opportunity to share their scientific discoveries and contributions with their colleagues.
