Anil Shanker, Ph.D.

My @Nature World View from @MeharryMedical College argues: Nurturing talent at community-rooted institutions is a necessity—not a luxury. 3 lessons: enabling infrastructure • mentorship as “core facility” • aligned governance+partnerships+accountability.nature.com/articles/d4158…

We are heading into @MeharryMedical College's 70th Research Symposium, taking place Wednesday–Thursday (March 4-5) in the Cal Turner Family Center for Student Education. Join us to engage in timely dialogue on research excellence, trust, and innovation.

Meharry’s 70th Annual Research Symposium is here! Join us March 4–5 at the Cal Turner Family Center for two days of discovery, ethics, global science, and innovation. Featuring research presentations, awards, expert panels, and keynote lectures. Register: redcap.link/42dqfsrd

Nashville medical school works to diversify health care for 150 years wsmv.com/2026/02/20/nas…

Last week, I delivered the featured keynote for the Dr. Herbert and Nicole Wertheim Leadership in Healthcare and Medicine Lectureship at Florida International University. I highlighted how population immune health indices can inform on disease mechanisms & accelerate therapy.@FIU

My @Nature World View from @MeharryMedical College argues: Nurturing talent at community-rooted institutions is a necessity—not a luxury. 3 lessons: enabling infrastructure • mentorship as “core facility” • aligned governance+partnerships+accountability.nature.com/articles/d4158…

Meharry’s research impact is scaling fast with publications doubled, collaborative authorships networks expanding dramatically, and sponsored research funding seeing 3.5× growth to $128M. Breaking barriers. Building breakthroughs. Shaping what’s next. #healthresearch

The unsung Indian scientist who helped create chemotherapy and redefined cancer care indiatoday.in/education-toda… via @indiatoday

This is a call to intentionally build ecosystems—policies, partnerships, and cultures—that turn bold ideas into shared, long-term progress. #Innovation #Growth #HigherEd #Research

Policy can make or break innovation. When rules and vested interests protect the old at the expense of the new, scientific and economic progress slows. Innovation-led growth is a choice, not a law of nature.

The @NobelPrize in Economic Sciences this year went to Joel Mokyr, Philippe Aghion, and Peter Howitt for explaining innovation-driven economic growth. Their work reminds us that growth is about ideas, institutions, and policy—not just numbers.

Suffering is not invincible. This Thanksgiving, I’m drawn to the quiet work that heals—thanking, apologizing, forgiving, respecting. One call, one message, one “sorry” can bridge families, communities, even nations. May we choose a shared future over a divided past. #Thanksgiving

Launching the Meharry–Africa PECIR program—a new catalyst for high-impact research partnerships between @MeharryMedical College and institutions across Africa—building cross-continental capacity & collaboration through #TogetherForCHANGE. Sign up at: lnkd.in/eTSHVKjs

@CellarDawg @MilkenInstitute @DrJBhattacharya We need to design funds that tolerate failure, reward intelligent risk, and widen access for diverse, emerging investigators.

@Immunoplayers @MilkenInstitute @DrJBhattacharya We fund whatever medinc wants us to fund... Like this junk: "Longhauler-...fatigue, cognitive impairment, dyspnea, and musculoskeletal pain. ... [these findings] could identify SSRIs as readily available, well-tolerated agents for long COVID mitigation.” Wash. Rinse. Repeat.

We claim to want breakthroughs, yet we fund predictability. At @MilkenInstitute’s Future of Health Summit today, Dr. @DrJBhattacharya made a clear call: back early independence and realign incentives around discovery—not just grant completion. Let’s fund emerging investigators!

One of our most-cited 2020 review explains that neurons and immune cells are in constant dialogue—and this cross-talk shapes health. Brain messengers don’t just affect mood—they switch immune cells on or off, shaping inflammation, repair, immune response. frontiersin.org/journals/immun…

Meharry's Campaign 150 aims to raise $500M for scholarships - Nashville Business Journal bizjournals.com/nashville/news… via @nashvillebiz