Established in 1970 by the National Academy of Sciences, the Institute is one of four distinguished organizations that make up the National Academies, which provide scientific and technological advice to the nation.
"[IOM] members are elected through a highly selective process that recognizes those who have made major contributions to the advancement of the medical sciences, health care, and public health," said the institute's president, Harvey V. Fineberg, M.D., Ph.D., in announcing the 65 newest institute members. "Election is considered one of the highest honors in the fields of medicine and health."
A member of the endocrine division at BIDMC, Flier is one of the country's leading investigators in the areas of obesity and diabetes. Since 2002, Flier has served as Chief Academic Officer of BIDMC, for which he oversees research and academic affairs. The medical center ranks third in National Institutes of Health research funding among independent hospitals nationwide.
"Beth Israel Deaconess is extraordinarily fortunate to be the beneficiary of Dr. Flier's vision and leadership," said BIDMC President and CEO Paul Levy. "We are extremely proud of Dr. Flier's work in the field of endocrinology, and honored by his election to the Institute of Medicine."
Flier received a B.S. from City College of New York in 1968, and an M.D. from Mount Sinai School of Medicine in 1972, graduating with the Elster Award for Highest Academic Standing. Following training in internal medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital from 1972 to 1974, Flier moved to the National Institutes of Health as a Clinical Associate. In 1978, he joined the Faculty of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, serving as Chief of the Diabetes Unit at Beth Israel Hospital before attaining his present positions at Beth Israel Deaconess and Harvard.
An elected fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Flier holds an honorary doctorate from the University of Athens, and has published more than 200 peer-reviewed papers in leading scientific journals. Earlier this year, Flier was awarded a five-year $500,000 Unrestricted Metabolic Research Grant by Bristol-Myers Squibb. He is also the recipient of the 2003 Edwin B. Astwood Lecture Award from the Endocrine Society.
Since its creation, the Institute of Medicine has become recognized as a national resource for independent, scientifically formed analysis and recommendations on issues related to human health, and is unique for its structure as both an honorific membership organization and an analytic and advisory organization. Upon their election, the Institute's 1,382 members make a commitment to devote a significant amount of volunteer time as members of IOM committees, which engage in a broad range of studies on health policy issues. Visit their website at http://www.iom.edu/
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center is a major patient care, teaching and research affiliate of Harvard Medical School, ranking third in National Institutes of Health funding among independent hospitals nationwide. The medical center is clinically affiliated with the Joslin Diabetes Center and is a founding member of the Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center. BIDMC is the official hospital of the Boston Red Sox.