WSU College of Veterinary Medicine professor Terry McElwain will be honored for his recent election into the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies. A reception will be held Tuesday in the Veterinary Teaching Hospital lobby from 3:30 to 5 p.m.

McElwain was elected on Oct. 12 for his research investigating global control of infectious diseases. The election that stands to be one of the most prestigious honors in the field of biomedical research and human health care, said Charlie Powell, spokesman for the College of Veterinary Medicine.

“I think it is a great accomplishment and certainly speaks to the quality of professional that Dr. McElwain is,” Powell said. “He is respected worldwide for his research efforts into animal diseases.” The reception is a chance for McElwain’s colleagues and coworkers to congratulate him for his achievement. WSU President Elson S. Floyd and Provost Warwick M. Bayly will host a congratulatory program at 4 p.m. during the reception.

Terry McElwain’s election recognizes his leadership in the scientific field, Floyd said in a news release. That leadership will help establish a new school for global animal health care at WSU.

The IOM is an adviser for national health improvement and a resource for independent, informed analysis and recommendations on issues related to human health. Once elected into the academy, members make a commitment to devote a significant amount of volunteer time to the institute itself.

McElwain’s work has served to improve human health specifically by helping prevent the spread of infectious diseases in animals. Out of 1,600 members, McElwain is one of 17 veterinarians in the IOM with direct ties to WSU, the highest number from any college in the US.

“More than 65 percent of human disease agents originate in domestic or wild animals, and Dr. McElwain’s election to the National Academies reflects the critical importance of both his research and service to human health,” Bayly said in a news release. Among other things, McElwain’s leadership extends to developing a coordinated network of animal disease diagnostic laboratories, including one at WSU. Powell said McElwain is also one of the better-known animal disease authorities in the nation.

To submit an RSVP to the reception, visit go.wsu.edu/McElwain.

For more information regarding McElwain and the WSU School for Global Animal Health, visit http://globalhealth.wsu.edu/faculty/mcelwain.aspx.