Dr. Gary Koretzky ’78, vice provost for academic integration at Cornell, director of the Cornell Center for Immunology, professor of medicine at Weill Cornell Medicine and adjunct professor of immunology in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology, was elected president of the American Association of Immunologists (AAI) for 2021-2022. He aims to improve science advocacy, public outreach and more during his tenure.

“It is a privilege to lead our organization, particularly at a time when the science of immunology has captured the world’s attention,” Koretzky said.

“Dr. Koretzky is a leader in our field and his election as president will continue AAI’s longstanding legacy of excellence in immunology,” said Dr. Deborah Fowell, chair of the Department of Microbiology and Immunology in the College of Veterinary Medicine.

Credit: Lindsay France/Cornell University

Established in 1913, AAI is an international association of scientists with a mission to advance the knowledge of immunology and its related disciplines, foster the interchange of ideas and information among investigators and address the potential integration of immunologic principles into clinical practice. It owns and publishes the Journal of Immunology, the field’s flagship journal, as well as ImmunoHorizons, an open-access, peer-reviewed journal dedicated to the science of immunology. The AAI boasts 27 Nobel Laureates and approximately 7,700 members across 68 countries.

“The AAI brings together thousands of talented scientists at all stages of their careers who collectively have made discoveries that are literally transforming our world,” Koretzky said. “From understanding the most fundamental underpinnings of the body’s defense systems to taking this knowledge to the clinic to decrease mortality and morbidity, AAI members continue to have an enormous impact on our society.”

In addition to his position in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at the College of Veterinary Medicine, Koretzky leads the newly formed Cornell Center for Immunology, is a professor of medicine at Weill Cornell Medicine in New York City and Cornell’s vice provost for academic integration. As the vice provost, Koretzky strengthens connections between the Cornell campuses in Ithaca and New York City through initiatives that facilitate and nurture research collaborations and integrate academic units in both locations. Koretzky has been a key player in the university’s response to the pandemic, taking a data-driven approach to policy and safety during challenging times, as well as volunteering his time at vaccination clinics.

Koretzky is among several faculty members in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology to be elected to lead national scientific societies this year. He joins Colin Parrish, Ph.D. ’84, the John M. Olin Professor of Virology, who was elected president of the American Society of Virology, and Avery August, Ph.D. ’94, professor of immunology and Cornell’s vice provost for academic affairs, who was appointed the AAI’s councilor for 2021-2025 and will subsequently serve as president.

Said Fowell, “The Department of Microbiology and Immunology and the entire college is honored to have these outstanding scientists as colleagues and collaborators.”

Melanie Greaver Cordova is assistant director of communications at the College of Veterinary Medicine.