Dr. Mary Estes named to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences

Dr. Mary Estes, Distinguished Service Professor at Baylor College of Medicine, has been elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. 

Estes, a leader in the field of virology, is among 252 new members to the Academy from the fields of academia, the arts, industry, journalism, philanthropy, policy, research and science.

The Academy is one of the country’s oldest societies and independent policy research centers. It recognizes exceptional scholars, leaders, artists and innovators and engages them in sharing knowledge and addressing challenges facing the world.

“This is an unexpected honor, and I am excited to be inducted into this wonderful society. I am looking forward to engaging with other AAAS members and participating in future AAAS projects designed to enrich the world in which we live,” Estes said. “I am also grateful to all my trainees and colleagues whose creativity and collaborations have been invaluable in our scientific successes.”

Estes is known as a leader in virology whose work has shaped the understanding of viruses that cause gastrointestinal disease. Her work has focused on rotaviruses and noroviruses, the leading causes of severe diarrhea and gastroenteritis worldwide. She has led and contributed to advancements in related vaccine development, diagnostics and public health strategies.

Her discoveries include identifying the first viral enterotoxin, revealing how rotavirus disrupts calcium signaling in intestinal cells to cause diarrhea. Her laboratory was on the forefront of the use of virus‑like particles to understand viral structure and immune responses, an approach that contributed to vaccine development efforts for both rotavirus and norovirus.

More recently, her team helped overcome a long‑standing challenge in the field by successfully cultivating human noroviruses in stem‑cell–derived human intestinal organoids, enabling new insights into infection, immunity and host susceptibility.

She was the founding director of the Texas Medical Center Digestive Diseases Center and a former president of the American Society for Virology. She has authored more than 400 peer-reviewed publications and has served on numerous national and international advisory committees. Estes is an elected member of the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Medicine and the National Academy of Inventors, among numerous other recognitions for her research and leadership.

“Mary Estes is a brilliant scientist and very deserving of this appointment,” said Dr. Paul Klotman, president, CEO and executive dean of Baylor. “She represents the best of Baylor College of Medicine.”

Baylor College of Medicine faculty who currently are American Academy of Arts and Sciences members include Drs. Hugo Bellen, Distinguished Service Professor in molecular and human genetics; Peter Hotez, professor and dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine; Brendan Lee, the Robert and Janice McNair Endowed Chair and professor of molecular and human genetics; James Lupski, professor of pediatrics and the Cullen Foundation Endowed Chair in Molecular Genetics; Anthony Ross Means, professor of molecular and cellular biology; JoAnne Richards, professor of molecular and cellular biology and member of the Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center; and Huda Zoghbi, Distinguished Service Professor and investigator with the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. 

For a full list of new members, click here.