The National Academy of Medicine (NAM) has elected five individuals associated with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) as members for 2025. This announcement, made during NAM’s annual meeting on October 20, 2023, highlights the significant contributions of these scholars to the fields of health and medicine.
Among the newly elected members are MIT faculty members Dina Katabi and Facundo Batista, alongside three additional MIT alumni. This honor is one of the highest in the health and medicine sectors, recognizing those who have made outstanding professional achievements and dedicated service.
Notable Achievements of MIT Faculty
Facundo Batista serves as the associate director and scientific director of the Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT, and Harvard. He holds the position of the first Phillip T. and Susan M. Ragon Professor in MIT’s Department of Biology. The NAM acknowledged Batista for his pioneering work in understanding the biology of antibody-producing B cells, which is crucial for enhancing our immune response to infectious diseases. His recent research focuses on developing preclinical vaccines and therapeutics for critical global health issues, including HIV, malaria, and influenza.
Batista, who earned a PhD from the International School of Advanced Studies, established his lab in 2002 at the Francis Crick Institute. He later joined the Ragon Institute in 2016 to apply his expertise to vaccine development for diseases such as SARS-CoV-2. He has received numerous accolades, including fellowships at the U.K. Academy of Medical Sciences and the American Academy of Microbiology.
Dina Katabi, a distinguished professor in MIT’s Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, has made significant strides in digital health technology. Her innovative research encompasses wireless sensing, mobile computing, and machine learning. The NAM recognized her for her groundbreaking work in non-invasive remote health monitoring using artificial intelligence and wireless signals. Katabi has been instrumental in creating digital biomarkers that track the progression of Parkinson’s disease and inform treatment responses in clinical trials.
Katabi, who received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Damascus and her MS and PhD from MIT, directs the MIT Center for Wireless Networks and Mobile Computing. She is a MacArthur Fellow and a member of several prestigious organizations, including the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
Additional MIT Alumni Honored
Three other MIT alumni joined Katabi and Batista in this prestigious recognition. They include Christopher S. Chen, who completed his SM and PhD in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and the Harvard-MIT Program in Health Sciences and Technology; Michael E. Matheny, an alumnus of the Harvard-MIT Program in Health Sciences and Technology; and Rebecca R. Richards-Kortum, who earned her SM and PhD in Physics and also took part in the Harvard-MIT Program in Health Sciences and Technology.
The National Academy of Medicine, originally established in 1970 as the Institute of Medicine by the National Academy of Sciences, focuses on addressing critical health issues and inspiring positive actions across various sectors. NAM President Victor J. Dzau expressed his honor in welcoming these remarkable leaders into the Academy. He stated, “Their demonstrated excellence in tackling public health challenges, leading major discoveries, improving health care, advancing health policy, and addressing health equity will critically strengthen our collective ability to tackle the most pressing health challenges of our time.”
The election of these five individuals underscores MIT’s ongoing commitment to advancing health and medicine through innovative research and dedicated service.
