Mary Ann Fletcher Joins Nova Southeastern University as Schemel Professor for Neuro Immune Medicine

Mary Ann Fletcher, Ph.D.,

FORT LAUDERDALE-DAVIE, Fla.- Nova Southeastern University (NSU) College of Osteopathic Medicine Dean Anthony J. Silvagni, D.O., Pharm.D., M.Sc., recently announced the appointment of Mary Ann Fletcher, Ph.D., as the first Schemel Professor for Neuro Immune Medicine. The Schemel Professorship was established in 2013 through a $2 million endowment from the Schemel Family Foundation.

“Dr. Fletcher is recognized throughout the medical research community as a leader in the study of the immunology of infectious diseases,” said Silvagni. “We are proud to welcome her to our world-leading Institute for Neuro Immune Medicine and we are incredibly grateful to the Schemel family for their commitment to the advancement of science and medicine.”

In her new role, Fletcher will oversee the research lab and conduct proteomic and genomic research at the NSU College of Medicine’s Institute for Neuro Immune Medicine. Located at NSU’s main campus in Davie and led by Nancy Klimas, M.D., the Institute is the first in the nation to study neuroinflammatory and neurodegenerative disorders such as chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis, Gulf War Illness, Parkinson’s disease and multiple sclerosis using the newest proteomic, genomic and computational techniques. The program recently received a $4.1 million grant from the Department of Defense to study Gulf War Illness.

“I am honored and grateful to the Schemel family and NSU for believing in me and allowing me to devote my efforts to helping find better treatments for these diseases which impact so many people and deserve our attention and resources,” said Fletcher.

Fletcher joins NSU from the University of Miami, where she spent the previous 40 years, most recently as a tenured professor and director of the E.M. Popper Laboratory of Clinical Immunology, which is being relocated to NSU.

From left to right: Nancy Klimas, M.D., director of the Institute for Neuro Immune Medicine; Mary Ann Fletcher, Ph.D., Schemel Professor for Neuro Immune Medicine; Robert Schemel, Schemel Family Foundation; and Anthony J. Silvagni, D.O., Pharm.D., M.Sc., dean of the NSU College of Osteopathic Medicine

Fletcher earned her Bachelor of Science in Microbiology from Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas, her Master of Science in Immunology and Virology from University of Texas Medical School in Dallas, and her Doctor of Philosophy in Immunochemistry from Baylor University in Waco, Texas. She completed her postdoctoral research at Northwestern University in Chicago.

Fletcher’s research has been published more than 260 peer reviewed articles in scientific journals and she has presented her work at many national and international scientific conferences. She holds two U.S. Patents for developing tests to determine if a person has mononucleosis.

Fletcher is a licensed Clinical Laboratory Director in Florida and New York and is certified as a High Complexity Laboratory Director by the American Board of Bio-analysis. She is a frequent reviewer of manuscripts for scientific journals and of grants submitted to the National Institutes of Health. She is a member of the Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Advisory Committee that advises the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services.

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About NSU’s College of Osteopathic Medicine:  The mission of the College of Osteopathic Medicine is to provide learner-centered education, both nationally and internationally, for osteopathic medical students, postgraduate trainees, and other professionals. Through its interprofessional programs, the college prepares competent and compassionate lifelong learners; supports research, scholarly activity, and community service; and advocates for the health and welfare of diverse populations, including the medically underserved. For more information, visit http://medicine.nova.edu/.

About Nova Southeastern University: Situated on 314 beautiful acres in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, Nova Southeastern University (NSU) is a dynamic fully accredited research institution dedicated to providing high-quality educational programs at all levels.  NSU is a not-for-profit independent institution with 27,000 students. NSU awards associate’s, bachelor’s, master’s, specialist, doctoral and first-professional degrees in a wide range of fields. NSU is classified as a research university with “high research activity” by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, and it is one of only 37 universities nationwide to also be awarded Carnegie’s Community Engagement Classification. For more information, please visit www.nova.edu.

Jeremy Katzman, M.B.A. | Office of Public Affairs
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