Dr. Nancy Andrews is a distinguished molecular biologist and physician-scientist who currently serves as Executive Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer of Boston Children's Hospital, a position she assumed in 2021 after more than a decade of leadership at Duke University. She previously held the prestigious role of Dean of the Duke University School of Medicine and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs from 2007 to 2017, becoming the first woman appointed to lead the institution and the only woman heading any of the top ten medical schools in the United States during her tenure. Dr. Andrews earned her B.S. and M.S. degrees in Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry from Yale University, completed her Ph.D. in Biology at MIT under David Baltimore, and received her M.D. from Harvard Medical School in 1987. Her clinical training included pediatrics residency and fellowship in pediatric hematology/oncology at Boston Children's Hospital and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, establishing the foundation for her dual career in basic science and clinical medicine.
Dr. Andrews' pioneering research has fundamentally advanced our understanding of mammalian iron homeostasis, with her laboratory making seminal discoveries of key molecules involved in iron regulation including the first mammalian transmembrane iron transporter. Her work on glycogen storage disease type 1a led to the groundbreaking discovery that liver adenomas produce high levels of mRNA for hepcidin, a critical iron regulatory hormone that explains the associated anemia in these patients. Through positional cloning of affected genes in classical rodent mutants with anemia, her research group elucidated the molecular causes of several diseases characterized by abnormal iron handling, transforming clinical approaches to iron metabolism disorders. These contributions have established Dr. Andrews as a world leader in the field, with her work providing the foundation for new diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for iron-related disorders that affect millions worldwide.
Beyond her research achievements, Dr. Andrews has demonstrated exceptional leadership in the scientific community through her service as Chair of the Board of Directors of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Home Secretary for the National Academy of Sciences, and positions on the governing councils of both the National Academy of Medicine and National Academy of Sciences. She currently serves on the Boards of Directors of Novartis, Charles River Laboratories, and Maze Therapeutics, bridging academic research and industry innovation. Dr. Andrews has been instrumental in mentoring the next generation of physician-scientists, having previously directed the Harvard/MIT MD-PhD program and championed diversity in academic medicine throughout her career. Her ongoing leadership continues to shape national research priorities and foster interdisciplinary collaboration aimed at translating basic discoveries into improved patient care for complex metabolic and hematological disorders.
