Vojo Deretic, Ph.D. is the director of the Autophagy, Inflammation and Metabolism Center of Biomedical Research Excellence (CoBRE) and chair of the Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology at the University of New Mexico (UNM) School of Medicine. He received the University’s 67th Annual Research Lecture (ARL) award, one of the highest honors UNM bestows on its faculty in recognition of their creative research activity. Deretic is a pioneer in the field of autophagy, which plays a crucial role in understanding how cells work and can lead to the design of new drugs within the medical field. His lecture, “Autophagy: The Double Membrane in Immunity and Beyond,” is dedicated to his wife, Dr. Dusanka Deretic, and his colleague, Dr. Beth Levine, who worked alongside Deretic to develop the aspect of autophagy in the context of immunology. Deretic is committed to giving back to the state of New Mexico and its people, and he credits his success to his fellow colleagues and research teams.
Vojo Deretic, Ph.D., Director of the Autophagy, Inflammation and Metabolism Center of Biomedical Research Excellence (CoBRE), has been awarded the 67th Annual Research Lecture (ARL) award by The University of New Mexico (UNM). The ARL is one of the highest honors bestowed on faculty members in recognition of their creative research activity. Deretic is also the chair of the Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology at UNM School of Medicine. He will share his breakthrough discovery and the central importance of autophagy during the ARL that will take place on Thursday, March 30, at the Domenici Auditorium.
Autophagy is a new cellular process discovered by Deretic and is of great importance in the field of biology. Deretic is a distinguished professor who received his undergraduate, doctorate, and postdoctoral education in Belgrade, Paris, and Chicago. He began his career in medicine at the University of Texas at San Antonio and then worked for five years at the University of Michigan before settling in Albuquerque, where he has been for the past 22 years.
Ellen Fisher, UNM Vice President for Research, praised the diversity and breadth of research areas and people recognized by the ARL, and said that Deretic is a deserving recipient of the award. “All of my successes, the real contributions to science have happened here at The University of New Mexico,” said Dr. Deretic.
Deretic’s achievement is an inspiration to the research community at UNM, and it highlights the university’s commitment to recognizing and celebrating scholarly activity.
Vojo Deretic, Ph.D. is an expert in the fields of tuberculosis, HIV, microbiology, immunology, and autophagy. Autophagy is a process that allows cells to self-feed and sustain themselves by eating small parts of their interiors. Deretic and a handful of scientists from around the world have contributed to the making of this new field of autophagy, and it has led to a Nobel Prize. Autophagy is central to understanding how cells in the body work and how they could lead to the design of new drugs within the medical field. Deretic’s work on autophagy in immunity coincides with the beginnings of the appreciation of autophagy’s role in human health. Deretic’s team is one of those that made the discovery that autophagy is a major effector and regulator of immunity.
Deretic credits his success to his fellow colleagues and research teams. He says that not only is autophagy central in understanding how cells in the body work, but how they could lead to the design of new drugs within the medical field. The discovery of autophagy and the role it’s played in science has led to a Nobel Prize. Autophagy is a complex process that remains a hyperactive part of research that’s getting closer to translation.
Deretic’s work at the University of Michigan focused on the immune aspects of infectious diseases including tuberculosis and cystic fibrosis. Once he moved to the University of New Mexico, the process of autophagy was just beginning to come into play, and he was perfectly positioned with thinking that it could defend against pathogens when they get into the cells. That was one of the earliest contributions, then all these immunological functions of autophagy exploded.
Deretic and other scientists have spent the last few decades learning just how important the process of autophagy is in relation to other scientific fields. Autophagy is a major effector and regulator of immunity, and its discovery has led to breakthroughs in various medical fields. Deretic’s team is one of those that made the discovery that autophagy is a major effector and regulator of immunity, and his colleagues have attested to the role that he has played in developing this field.
Vojo Deretic, Ph.D. recognizes the support he received from trainees and colleagues in his major contributions to the field of science. Deretic is director of the Autophagy, Inflammation and Metabolism Center of Biomedical Research Excellence (CoBRE) and chair of the Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology at the University of New Mexico (UNM) School of Medicine.
His lecture, “Autophagy: The Double Membrane in Immunity and Beyond,” is dedicated to his wife, Dr. Dusanka Deretic, and his long-time friend and colleague, Dr. Beth Levine, who worked alongside Deretic to develop the aspect of autophagy in the context of immunology. His lecture is a reflection of his ongoing commitment to give back to the state of New Mexico and its people.
“I think it’s important to recognize that along the way, I didn’t do this alone. I had trainees and colleagues right beside me,” he said. “Throughout my career, one thing that has been great is that so many of my trainees are now faculty and colleagues both here at The University of New Mexico School of Medicine, around the country, and internationally. It gives me joy to see them independently grow in their own fields and celebrate their own successes.”
Dr. Douglas Ziedonis, Executive Vice President for UNM Health Sciences, expressed his pride in Deretic’s accomplishments in research, as well as his ability to mentor and demonstrate team science and team building. Deretic’s dedication to his colleagues and his team spirit are admirable qualities that have helped him achieve success in his field.
Outside of his work, Deretic enjoys scuba diving and is a Cessna pilot active within the recreational pilot community in Albuquerque. He has traveled around the world to places such as Cusco, Peru; Kyoto, Japan; and Florence, Italy. He considers Santa Fe, New Mexico, as one of his favorite cities in the world and has never felt more at home than he does in New Mexico.
“If there is one thing I’ve learned in my career, it’s not what you do, but the way you think while doing it,” Deretic said. “Throughout my time in New Mexico, I have felt obliged to give back to this state and all the people in it, and I really hope through my work I’ve done just that.”
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