Two UF College of Medicine faculty members named 2025 AAAS Fellows
Bloom, Nixon join group of innovators recognized by world’s largest general scientific society
March 26, 2026 — Ten University of Florida faculty members, including two at the College of Medicine, have been elected 2025 fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
David C. Bloom, Ph.D., chair of the Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, and Sara Jo Nixon, Ph.D., a distinguished professor of psychiatry, psychology and neuroscience, are included among a group of scientists, engineers and innovators who have been recognized for their scientifically and socially distinguished achievements by the world’s largest general scientific society and publisher of the Science family of journals.
“Being elected as AAAS fellows is a remarkable achievement that reflects the innovation and dedication of our faculty in advancing scientific discovery,” said Jennifer Hunt, M.D., M.Ed., interim dean of the College of Medicine and the Folke H. Peterson Dean’s Distinguished Professor. “This prestigious honor recognizes the individual excellence and the meaningful impact of the research being conducted by Dr. Bloom and Dr. Nixon. We are proud to celebrate this well-earned recognition of their leadership and contributions to science.”
A tradition dating back to 1874, election as an AAAS fellow is a lifetime honor, and all fellows are expected to meet the commonly held standards of professional ethics and scientific integrity.
Learn more about the UF College of Medicine’s 2025 AAAS fellows:
David C. Bloom, Ph.D.
David C. Bloom, Ph.D.
In addition to his role as department chair, Bloom is also the Hazel Kitzman Professor of Genetics and the senior associate dean for graduate education at the College of Medicine.
A professor at UF since 1999, Bloom is a nationally recognized virologist who developed novel therapies to treat herpes simplex virus, or HSV. His lab investigates the molecular mechanisms that allow the virus to persist undetected in neurons and the cellular signals that trigger it to “wake up.”
Bloom’s lab was among the first to demonstrate that epigenetic changes — chemical modifications that regulate how genes are turned on or off — help control the viral genome during latency. Building on that discovery, the lab developed the first scalable human neuron model of HSV latency and reactivation, enabling researchers to study how the virus interacts with human cells on an unprecedented scale.
Current projects focus on how viral genetic material interacts with human proteins to maintain dormancy, how reactivation occurs at the level of individual cells and how these insights can inform new gene therapy strategies. Bloom’s long-term research goal is to develop innovative treatments to prevent or reduce recurrent HSV eye and genital disease.
Sara Jo Nixon, Ph.D.
Sara Jo Nixon, Ph.D.
Nixon, director of the UF Center for Addiction Research and Education, was recognized for her contributions to the field of addiction science, particularly neurobiobehavioral and psychosocial correlates of substance use in diverse populations.
As director of the Neurocognitive Laboratory in the Department of Psychiatry, Nixon and her team integrate methods including neurocognitive testing, brain electrophysiology and psychiatric research interviews.
Nixon, who also serves as co-vice chair of research for the Department of Psychiatry, has published over 176 peer-reviewed articles and chapters and edited two books. Her leadership in addiction science has been recognized with the Henri Begleiter Award for Excellence in Research, her election and service to the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology and her service as president of the Research Society on Alcohol and the Society of Addiction Psychology. Her research program has received funding from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, the National Institute on Drug Abuse, the Department of Veterans Affairs, the states of Oklahoma and Florida and private foundations.
