Congratulations to St. Mary’s College alumna Ashani Weeraratna ’91 (biology) who was recently named a Bloomberg Distinguished Professor at the Johns Hopkins University. Established by Michael Bloomberg, she will be among 50 professors from around the world named to these posts who are pioneering interdisciplinary fields.
Weeraratna’s past research has focused on cancer and aging, including researching the signals that drive the spread of melanoma, and how the fact that the number one prognostic factor for cancer is aging, which is often more aggressive and harder to treat.
In her new position at Johns Hopkins University, Weeraratna will expand her melanoma research, and build an aging and cancer program within the Bloomberg School of Public Health, where she'll serve as the inaugural E.V. McCollum Professor and chair of the department of biochemistry and molecular biology.
She will also hold joint appointments in the school of medicine's department of oncology and the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins.
