Mariano A. Garcia-Blanco, MD, PhD
The School of Medicine is pleased to announce the election of Mariano A. Garcia-Blanco, MD, PhD, to the National Academy of Sciences in recognition of his distinguished and ongoing research achievements in the field of RNA biology.
The National Academy of Science (NAS) was established in 1863 by an Act of Congress, signed by President Abraham Lincoln. It is a private institution that advises the nation on issues related to science and technology. Members of the NAS are elected by peers and it is considered one of the highest honors that a scientist can receive.
“I am deeply honored to be elected a member of the NAS,” said Dr. Garcia-Blanco. “Research to unravel the connection between RNA and immunity has accelerated in recent years, and it is a privilege to contribute to this work benefiting the common good.”
Dr. Garcia-Blanco was appointed the F. Palmer Weber Medical Research Professor and chair of the UVA Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Cancer Biology in 2023. He is a renowned expert in virology and RNA biology and its impact on immunity to diseases. Some of Dr. Garcia’s most recent groundbreaking research includes a discovery identifying key factors that determine a person’s risk for developing multiple sclerosis and findings about how viral RNAs in mosquito saliva affect the transmission of the deadly dengue viruses.
“I am incredibly proud of the recognition that Dr. Garcia-Blanco has received from the National Academy of Science for the impactful research and contributions to science he and his lab team members have made,” said Melina Kibbe, MD, Dean of the UVA School of Medicine.
Dr. Garcia-Blanco earned his bachelor’s degree from Harvard University and his MD and PhD from Yale University. He completed a fellowship at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, prior to his time as a faculty member at Duke University from 1990-2014. He came to UVA from The University of Texas Medical Branch, where he has served as chair of the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.
As a leader in the field of RNA biology, Dr. Garcia-Blanco’s research has furthered our understanding of human health and disease. He has been continuously funded by the NIH since the early 1990s and as co-authored more than 200 peer-reviewed scientific publications.
Dr. Garcia-Blanco is a member of many prestigious societies, including the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the Association of American Physician. He is also a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and a fellow of the American Academy of Microbiology.
Only two other UVA School of Medicine faculty have been elected to the National Academy of Sciences: Edward Egelman, PhD (2019) and Robert Berne, MD (1988).
Filed Under: Faculty, Featured, Honors & Awards