Beth A. McCormick, PhD

Beth A. McCormick, PhD

Beth A. McCormick, PhD, is a professor, vice chair and program director at the University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School in Worcester, Massachusetts. She is a classically trained bacteriologist with a particular focus in defining the interactions between gut microbes in gastrointestinal physiology and disease with the factors that maintain or break the healthy function of this ecological system. McCormick’s recent research interests include the role of microbes and microbial metabolites in dictating gastrointestinal host physiology, particularly in the context of intestinal multidrug efflux transporters, the interaction between the gut microbiome and nuclear factors, and continued efforts in drug discovery and development. Her breakthrough discoveries have paved the way for identifying novel ways in which microbes interact with the intestinal microenvironment and the underlying innate immune system. McCormick also co-founded Adiso Therapeutics, a biotechnology research company based in Concord, Massachusetts, which is advancing a first-in-class molecule to Phase IIa clinical trials for the treatment of ulcerative colitis.

Statement

McCormick is an internationally renowned gastrointestinal (GI) physiologist. and and has been an active participant in American Physiological Society (APS)activities for nearly 20 years. She has served as secretary-treasurer of the APS Gastrointestinal and Liver Section (2018–2021), as an editorial board member for the American Journal of Physiology-Gastrointestinal and Liver Physiology and an organizer of plenary sessions and serving as a session chair at Experimental Biology. McCormick is heavily involved in trainee/mentoring programs with the Gastrointestinal and Liver Section. Within the broader GI community, she is editor-in-chief of Gut Microbes and is an elected council member of the American Gastroenterological Association. As a senior leader at the University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School in Worcester, Massachusetts, McCormick directs efforts to enable diverse clinical and basic scientists to engage and participate in innovative and multidisciplinary gastrointestinal-focused research. She has a demonstrated history of being an ardent ambassador to the field of GI physiology and has the expertise, leadership and motivation necessary to successfully carry out the leadership responsibilities of the APS Council.