Dr. Amelia Gallitano Named Among ‘Outstanding Women in Business’ in Phoenix Area
Amelia Gallitano, MD, PhD, a professor in the departments of Basic Medical Sciences and Psychiatry in the College of Medicine – Phoenix, has been included in the Phoenix Business Journal’s list of “Outstanding Women in Business.” More than 250 nominations were received and 25 honorees were selected for their community leadership, professional accomplishments and personal achievements.
The publication’s Outstanding Women in Business list recognizes women in the Phoenix area whose work has “drawn notice from their peers.”
Amelia Gallitano, MD, PhD
“It was a surprise to be nominated, and a real honor,” Dr. Gallitano said. “It was a great opportunity to have the College of Medicine be recognized as part of the business community in Phoenix, because we are a center for innovation that is integrated with our surrounding community.”
Dr. Gallitano, a psychiatrist and neuroscientist, leads a research laboratory investigating how genetics and environmental stress affect the development of illnesses such as schizophrenia and mood disorders. Additionally, she has spent nine years treating PTSD patients at the Phoenix VA. She holds a patent application forming the basis of an ongoing clinical trial to develop a biologically based diagnostic test for schizophrenia.
“We don’t typically think of academic faculty as being people in business, but I am doing translational research and have a patent application,” Dr. Gallitano said. “There is an interesting overlap between medicine, science and business. It’s relevant right now, of course, in the midst of COVID-19. Scientists are the key creators of the vaccines and the future cures for this disease. It’s a nice lesson for us about how important science is. It’s not just academics and teaching, it’s discovery and implementing that discovery into cures. And that requires business.”
Dr. Gallitano’s leadership is exemplified in her role as the director of College of Medicine – Phoenix’s Women in Medicine and Science (WIMS). She and the WIMS executive committee have lifted other women by creating an atmosphere of support, inclusivity and enthusiasm that engages the entire college community. WIMS has established biannual networking events and held professional development workshops, nominated women for awards and national leadership seminars, and provided leadership training and professional advancement tools.
Dr. Gallitano joined the College of Medicine – Phoenix as one of its founding faculty members in 2007, and is a leading recipient of grant funding at the college, bringing in more than $5 million for her research program.