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Bolnick came to UConn in 2018 from the University of Texas and his research is at the forefront of ecology, evolutionary biology, immunology, and genomics.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is a great honor, in recognition of 25 years of research insights,\u201d says Bolnick. \u201cBut it is important to emphasize that this honor really should go to a team of people. My success rests on work alongside many talented students, post-docs, and collaborators.\u201d<\/p>\n
Bolnick has more than 170 peer-reviewed publications, which have accrued more than 30,000 citations.<\/p>\n
“Becoming a fellow of the Academy is an incredible honor, and I am delighted that Professor Bolnick\u00a0is being recognized for his exceptional contributions to evolutionary ecology,\u201d says UConn Interim Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Pamir Alpay. \u201cHis\u00a0commitment to academic excellence and research that matters to Connecticut and the world sets a high bar. The academy honor shines a welcome spotlight not only on his work, but also on UConn as a home for outstanding faculty.”<\/p>\n
Bolnick\u2019s lab at UConn seeks to understand the evolutionary and ecological rules that promote genetic diversity within species: variation among individuals and divergence between populations. Research in the lab touches on a wide variety of species interactions, with an emphasis on host-parasite interactions.<\/p>\n
This emphasis reflects both the importance of parasites in ecology, their large role in driving molecular evolution, and also the benefits of being able to leverage the large field of immunology to understand the molecular and cellular mechanisms of adaptation.<\/p>\n
This work has identified the genes underlying why some populations develop severe and costly fibrosis \u2013 an immune pathology that contributes to many deaths within the United States.<\/p>\n
\u201cBy studying this immune trait in wild fish, we hope to identify biological causes of fibrosis risk in humans, and possible therapeutic tools,\u201d says Bolnick. \u201cFor example, we believe some parasites have evolved strategies to shut down the fish fibrosis response. Their adaptation might offer new ideas for reducing fibrosis in humans.\u201d<\/p>\n
Bolnick has had multiple papers that are the most cited in their respective journals since their publication, including papers in Nature, Science, and Proceedings of the National Academy of Science.<\/p>\n
He was the first organismal biologist to win the Edith and Peter O\u2019Donnell Prize in Science from the Texas Academy of Medicine, Engineering, Science and Technology, and one of the few evolutionary biologists to have his research supported by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute.<\/p>\n
\u201cElection to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences recognizes not only scholarly distinction, but the broader value of knowledge in advancing the public good,\u201d says Ofer Harel, dean of UConn\u2019s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. \u201cDan\u2019s innovative, collaborative work reflects that ideal, and we\u2019re proud to see it recognized as an example of the outstanding scholarship in our college.\u201d<\/p>\n
Bolnick has been the principal investigator or co-principal investigator in grants totaling upward of $25 million.<\/p>\n
He recently completed a term as the editor-in-chief of American Naturalist, one of the top disciplinary journals, and is past president of the American Society of Naturalists.<\/p>\n
The Academy, chartered in 1780, was established to recognize accomplished individuals and engage them in addressing the greatest challenges facing the young republic.<\/p>\n
The new class joins Academy members elected before them, including Benjamin Franklin and Alexander Hamilton in the 18th century; Ralph Waldo Emerson, Maria Mitchell, and Charles Darwin in the 19th century; Albert Einstein, Robert Frost, Margaret Mead, Milton Friedman, Martin Luther King Jr., and Jacques Derrida in the 20th century; and, in this century, Madeleine K. Albright, Antonin Scalia, Jennifer Doudna, Esther Duflo, John Legend, Anna Deavere Smith, Salman Rushdie, Xuedong Huang, and Jos\u00e9 Andr\u00e9s.<\/p>\n
Induction ceremonies for new members will take place in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in October 2026.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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