Garret FitzGerald Elected to Leopoldina, the German National Academy of Sciences
International recognition honors Penn physician-scientist for influential contributions to pharmacology, cardiovascular medicine, and translational research.
Garret A. FitzGerald, MD, Professor of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics in the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, has been elected to Leopoldina, the German National Academy of Sciences, in recognition of his scientific achievements and international standing.
FitzGerald was elected to the Academy’s section on Physiology and Pharmacology/Toxicology, joining an international community of scientists recognized for distinguished contributions to medicine and the natural sciences. Founded in 1652, Leopoldina is one of the world’s oldest continuously operating scientific academies and has counted Charles Darwin, Albert Einstein, and Marie Curie among its members.
Garret A. FitzGerald, MD
Robert L. McNeil, Jr. Professor in Translational Medicine and Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine
Chair, Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics
Director, Institute for Translational Medicine and Therapeutics
University of Pennsylvania
FitzGerald’s research examines the mechanisms through which medicines act in the body and how variation among individuals can influence therapeutic response. His work integrates basic pharmacology, molecular biology, and clinical investigation to translate discoveries about drug action into approaches that improve the development and use of medicines.
Among his most influential contributions is research defining the cardiovascular effects of aspirin and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). FitzGerald and his collaborators helped establish the mechanism by which low-dose aspirin reduces cardiovascular risk and later demonstrated how drugs designed to selectively inhibit the cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) enzyme could increase the risk of heart attack and stroke. These discoveries have had broad implications for cardiovascular medicine, drug development, and the regulation and clinical use of widely prescribed medicines.
His research has also advanced the field of translational medicine, connecting discoveries in experimental systems with studies in humans to better understand variability in drug response and disease. At Penn, FitzGerald directs the Institute for Translational Medicine and Therapeutics (ITMAT), which brings together investigators across disciplines to accelerate the translation of biomedical discoveries into new approaches to human health.
Election to Leopoldina recognizes the sustained international impact of this work and FitzGerald’s contributions to pharmacology, cardiovascular science, and the development of translational research as a field.
Connecting Penn Research with Germany’s Scientific Community
Leopoldina serves as Germany’s National Academy of Sciences, bringing together distinguished researchers from Germany and around the world while providing independent scientific perspectives on issues of societal importance. FitzGerald’s election connects Penn’s expertise in pharmacology and translational medicine with a scientific institution whose international membership spans disciplines, research systems, and national borders.
Through support for faculty excellence, interdisciplinary discovery, and international research engagement, the Office of the Vice Provost for Research (OVPR) helps strengthen relationships that connect Penn investigators with leading scientific communities around the world. International recognition such as election to Leopoldina reflects both the global reach of Penn scholarship and the role sustained scientific exchange plays in advancing research with broad societal and health impact.
Learn more about Leopoldina, the German National Academy of Sciences:
https://www.leopoldina.org/en/