Professor Tabrizi is one of 10 new international members elected this year during the academy’s annual meeting, alongside 90 regular members. Election to the academy is considered one of the highest honours in the fields of health and medicine.

According to the academy, Professor Tabrizi was elected “for contributions that have impacted experimental therapeutics of Huntington’s disease, leading multidisciplinary research teams to the first randomised clinical trials of nucleic acid therapies, and forging a biological staging approach tethered to fundamental science and patient research for treating neurodegenerative disorders, akin to cancer therapeutics.”

Professor Tabrizi is Director of the UCL Huntington’s Disease Centre and Joint-Head of the Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, at the UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology.

Her multidisciplinary research in Huntington’s Disease balances the investigation of fundamental mechanistic science combined with human clinical research in patients and has delivered seminal discoveries.  For example, she has provided transformational insights into the biology of Huntington’s Disease and helped create an entirely new field of novel therapeutic agents.

Her research has also underpinned the first treatment trials of nucleic acid therapies in Huntington’s Disease and other adult brain disorders.

Professor Tabrizi said: “I am truly honoured by this news. This election recognises the tireless efforts of my researchers and colleagues at the Huntington’s Disease Centre, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, and the UK Dementia Research Institute, and the selfless contributions of Huntington’s Disease patients and their families to our studies.
“Their dedication has been pivotal to the progress we’ve made in advancing understanding of Huntington’s Disease and its biology towards what I hope will soon be disease modifying therapies delivered to patients.”

Established originally as the Institute of Medicine in 1970 by the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Medicine addresses critical issues in health, science, medicine, and related policy, and inspires positive actions across sectors.

Election to the National Academy of Medicine is considered one of the highest honours in the fields of health and medicine. New members are elected by current members for major contributions to the advancement of the medical sciences, health care and public health

Professor Michael Hanna, Director of the UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, said: “I am thrilled to congratulate Sarah on this remarkable achievement. Her groundbreaking multidisciplinary research has greatly advanced our knowledge of Huntington’s Disease biology and has sped up the progress of genetic therapies for Huntington’s Disease and related conditions. Her election to the National Academy of Medicine is very well-earned and a testament to the outstanding work she and her team have accomplished.”

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  • Professor Sarah Tabrizi