of Akron in 1996. He then worked as a surgeon’s assistant in the fields of vascular, thoracic, and general surgery for several years before joining The National Academies in 2000. As a research assistant for the Division on Earth and Life Studies at the National Academies, Ben worked with the Board on Radiation Effects Research on projects studying the health effects of ionizing and nonionizing radiations on the human body. His work at the Institute of Medicine has included Testosterone and Aging: Clinical Research Directions, Review of NASA’s Longitudinal Study of Astronaut Health, Health Literacy: A Prescription to End Confusion, Improving Medical Education: Enhancing the Behavioral and Social Science Content in Medical School Curricula, and NIH Extramural Center Programs: Criteria for Initiation and Evaluation. He is also involved with the U.S. Bangladesh Advisory Council, an organization that promotes governmental cooperation between the United States and Bangladesh on matters of trade and health care.

JUDITH L. ESTEP is the senior program assistant for the study Establishing a National Cord Blood Stem Cell Bank Program. She has worked at The National Academies/IOM since 1986 and has provided administrative support for more than 32 published reports. Her interests outside the IOM include family (11 grandchildren), four-wheeling, and working her draft horses for competition.