BEDFORD, MA, May 16, 2018 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Ann Anderson Kiessling, PhD, has been included in Marquis Who's Who. As in all Marquis Who's Who biographical volumes, individuals profiled are selected on the basis of current reference value. Factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a field are all taken into account during the selection process.
One of the world's leading experts in reproductive biology and stem cell research, Dr. Kiessling has served as the director of the Bedford Research Foundation since 1996, having helped to create the organization to study research in areas unfunded by the federal government. In this role, she conducts stem cell and related research for diseases often considered incurable, and they have developed a screening test allowing couples with HIV to have healthy children without compromising the health of the mother. Additionally, she was instrumental in the creation of the first laboratory for human in vitro fertilization in Oregon and is widely regarded for her expertise in early embryonic development.
In addition to her work in the field, Dr. Kiessling has worked extensively in academia. From 1990 to 2013, she was an associate professor of surgery with Harvard Medical School, having been an associate professor of obstetrics, gynecology, and reproductive biology from 1985 to 1990. Prior to that, she was with Oregon Health Science University, first as an assistant professor of anatomy from 1977 to 1981, then as an associate professor of anatomy from 1981 to 1985, and as an associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology from 1983 to 1985.
Dr. Kiessling began her career at the University of Virginia, obtaining a BS in nursing in 1964, before going on to Central Washington University to complete a BS in chemistry in 1966 and an MS in organic chemistry in 1967. She later earned a PhD from Oregon State University in biochemistry and biophysics in 1971, working as a research associate at the University of Washington School of Medicine Division of Oncology simultaneously. From 1971 to 1973, she worked in a research fellowship at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Institute for Cancer Research, and she was a postdoctoral scholar with the University of California, San Diego, from 1973 to 1976.
As an expert in the field, Dr. Kiessling is a member of numerous professional organizations, including the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, the New York Academy of Sciences, the American Society for Cell Biology, and the American Fertility Society. She is also involved with the American Society for Microbiology, the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, the British Andrology Society, and the International Society for Stem Cell Research.
As a scientist, Dr. Kiessling believes it is incredibly important to stay active and engaged with all levels of government. Throughout her career, she has been involved in drafting stem cell legislation for Massachusetts, in addition to serving on stem cell advisory boards for California and Connecticut. A respected voice in the scientific community, she has published more than 100 scientific papers and delivered more than 60 lectures to audiences around the world. Some of her most notable publications include, "Early Human Embryos are Naturally Aneuploid — Can That Be Corrected?," "Detection of Reverse Transcriptase Activity in Human Cells," "Hypoxanthine causes a 2-cell block in random-bred mouse embryos," "Expression and Potential Function of the c-mos Proto-oncogene in Human Eggs," "Human Immunodeficiency Virus in Semen Arises from a Genetically Distinct Virus Reservoir," Connecticut Law Review: What is an Embryo?' and a textbook, Human Embryonic Stem Cells. She also holds a patent entitled "Process for simultaneously disinfecting and fixing biological fluids."
In recognition of her contributions to the field of stem cell research, Dr. Kiessling received an honorary doctorate in cell and molecular biology from Oregon State University in 2014. In addition, Dr. Kiessling received an honorary doctorate and lifetime achievement award from the Jodhpur School of Public Health, which was presented at the 2014 HIV Congress in Mumbai. She was the first person to ever receive the alumni achievement award from the University of Virginia School of Nursing in 2011, and she received the Central Washington University Distinguished Alumni Award in 2012. In 2009, she was the first woman to receive the Jacob Heskel Gabbay Award for Biotechnology and Medicine, and she received the Technology Prize Paper Award from the American Society for Reproductive Medicine in 2007 for the Special Program of Assisted Reproduction for couples living with HIV disease.
Since 1899, when A. N. Marquis printed the First Edition of Who's Who in America®, Marquis Who's Who® has chronicled the lives of the most accomplished individuals and innovators from every significant field of endeavor, including politics, business, medicine, law, education, art, religion and entertainment. Today, Who's Who in America® remains an essential biographical source for thousands of researchers, journalists, librarians and executive search firms around the world. Marquis® now publishes many Who's Who titles, including Who's Who in America®, Who's Who in the World®, Who's Who in American Law®, Who's Who in Medicine and Healthcare®, Who's Who in Science and Engineering®, and Who's Who in Asia®. Marquis® publications may be visited at the official Marquis Who's Who® website at www.marquiswhoswho.com.
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