Ralph Baric, 3 Other UNC Researchers Chosen for National Academy of Sciences
Four UNC researchers, including leading coronavirus expert Ralph Baric, recently earned one of the most prestigious honors for scientists and engineers in the United States.
The National Academy of Sciences inducted Baric, as well as Kerry Bloom, Joseph Kieber and Edward Salmon, into its ranks on April 26, announcing the quartet as part of an incoming class of 120 new members and 30 international members. The institution recognizes individual researchers each year for their achievements in science and contributions with original research.
Baric’s work rose to prominence during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. The professor of epidemiology, microbiology and immunology is one of the foremost researchers on infectious viruses, having spent more than 30 years studying illnesses like coronaviruses and noroviruses. The Baric Lab at UNC’s Gillings School of Public Health uses coronaviruses as models to study the genetics of how viruses replicate and remain resilient, which can influence how vaccines and treatments are developed.