2025 Revelle Medal Recipients Announced

Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Chemistry, Biochemistry, and Pharmacology and Distinguished Professor of the Graduate Division Edward A. Dennis is a leader in the field of lipidomics. His research has furthered understanding of the role lipids play in inflammation and numerous metabolic diseases. Most recently, his lab developed a noninvasive blood test to detect fatty liver disease, replacing the need for liver biopsies. 

Dennis received his bachelor’s degree from Yale University and his master’s degree and doctorate from Harvard University. He has held visiting professorships at Harvard Medical School and Brandeis University and has been a long-standing adjunct professor at Scripps Research and visiting research professor at Sorbonne Université in France. 

He has received numerous recognitions, including a Guggenheim Fellowship, the Yale Medal and the American Chemical Society Distinguished Scientist Award. Dennis has over 440 publications and his National Institutes of Health grant is now in its 49th year.

David A. Lake, Distinguished Professor of Political Science

Distinguished Professor of Political Science David A. Lake is a leading scholar of international relations and political economy. He is the author of six books — including “Indirect Rule: The Making of U.S. International Hierarchy” (2024) — and more than 100 articles and book chapters. He has served as president of the American Political Science Association and the International Studies Association, co-edited the journal “International Organization” and founded the International Political Economy Society.

Lake joined UC San Diego in 1992 after earning his doctorate from Cornell University in 1984 and teaching at UCLA for nine years. His UC San Diego service includes associate dean of the School of Social Sciences, chair of the Department of Political Science and director of the Yankelovich Center for Social Science Research. Elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, he has also been recognized with UC San Diego Chancellor’s Associates Awards for excellence in research and graduate education. Among his proudest contributions: serving on 97 dissertation committees, mentoring generations of doctoral students.

Maria Savoia, M.D., Dean Emeritus for Medical Education at UC San Diego School of Medicine

Dean Emeritus for Medical Education at UC San Diego School of Medicine Maria Savoia, M.D., is a tireless champion of medical education. She maintains clinical practice in the Division of Infectious Diseases and was instrumental in leading the development of the Atkinson Physician Assistant Education Program, which welcomed its second cohort of students this past summer. 

Savoia speaks both nationally and internationally on topics related to medical education and infectious diseases. She received her medical degree from Harvard Medical School and completed her residency and fellowship training at UC San Diego. She held leadership positions in professional organizations including the National Residency Match Program, the American Medical Association and the Association of American Medical Colleges, who recognized her with its National Service Award. She also helped in the development of the Gold Humanism Honor Society, a national organization that recognizes students, residents and faculty who embody compassionate patient care and chaired its National Advisory Board.

Nicholas C. Spitzer, Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Neurobiology

Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Neurobiology Nicholas C. Spitzer received his bachelor’s degree in biology from Harvard College and his doctorate in neurobiology from Harvard University. After postdoctoral work at Harvard and University College London, he joined the faculty at UC San Diego in 1972.

He has been chair of the Biology Department, as the School of Biological Sciences was previously known, as well as the Department of Neurobiology and the UC San Diego Academic Senate. He has also served as a member of the National Institutes of Health’s National Advisory Neurological Disorders and Stroke Council. Spitzer was founding editor-in-chief of BrainFacts.org and founding co-director of the Kavli Institute for Brain and Mind. He is a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the U.S. National Academy of Sciences. He was awarded the Karl Spencer Lashley Award and currently serves as president of the Society for Neuroscience.

Tony Yaksh, Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Anesthesiology and Pharmacology at UC San Diego School of Medicine

Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Anesthesiology and Pharmacology at UC San Diego School of Medicine Tony Yaksh is a widely regarded expert in the mechanisms of spinal pain management, which has been his research focus for more than 50 years.  

Yaksh obtained his doctorate from Purdue University and served as a lieutenant in the U.S. Army Chemical Corps. Prior to coming to UC San Diego in 1988, he was a professor at the Mayo Clinic. Throughout his career, Yaksh has been continuously involved in National Institutes of Health-supported research on the mechanisms of pain and analgesia, publishing more than 900 papers and serving as a mentor for more than 160 fellows. He has been recognized with several prestigious honors including the American Society of Anesthesiologists Award for Excellence in Research and the John J. Bonica Prize for Distinguished Lifetime Achievement in the Basic Science of Pain from the International Association for the Study of Pain.