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The ɬÀï·¬ announced today the winners of its annual awards. ASBMB members nominated the winners for making significant contributions to biochemistry and molecular biology as well as to the training and support of emerging scientists.

The recipients will give talks about their work at the society’s 2026 annual meeting, March 7–10 in the Washington, D.C., metro area.

ASBMB Herbert Tabor Research Award

Given for outstanding, innovative accomplishments in biological chemistry and molecular biology and contributions to the community of scientists.

George M. Carman is a board of governors professor and distinguished professor of food science at Rutgers University as well as the founding director of the Rutgers Center for Lipid Research. uses molecular genetics and biochemical approaches to study the regulation of phospholipid metabolism in yeast through the purification and characterization of enzymes and through the isolation and characterization of key genes. The team found that enzyme regulation has profound effects on membrane phospholipid composition and cell physiology, as well as important implications for understanding the molecular basis for lipid-based diseases, such as obesity, lipodystrophy, inflammation, diabetes and heart disease. In addition, he is an ASBMB and American Academy of Microbiology fellow. His honors and awards include the ASBMB Avanti Award in Lipids, the Supelco/Nicholas Pelick Research Award from the American Oil Chemists Society and the Journal of Lipid Research lectureship award. He is an associate editor of the Journal of Biological Chemistry as well as JLR. Carman has served ASBMB in many capacities, including most recently as secretary of Council.

ASBMB DeLano Award for Computational Biosciences

Given to a scientist for accessible and innovative developments or applications of computation to enhance research in the life sciences at the molecular or cellular level.

Roland L. Dunbrack, Jr. is a professor at Fox Chase Cancer Center and the Lewis Katz School of Medicine of Temple University, where he co-leads the Cancer Signaling and Microenvironment Program and directs the Molecular Modeling Facility. He is internationally recognized for his contributions to computational structural biology and structural bioinformatics, with research focusing on statistical analysis of protein structures and protein structure prediction. Dunbrack developed the widely used backbone-dependent rotamer library, a foundational tool in protein modeling and design. has also created algorithms and databases for structure prediction, conformational classification, and modeling of protein kinases. He collaborates extensively with experimental biologists to apply computational modeling to cancer research and has twice served as an assessor in the CASP structure prediction experiments, helping shape community standards for accuracy. His honors include the Senior Research Excellence Award and the LGBTQ+ Pride Month Health Equity Leadership Award from Temple, and the Cheney Fellowship from the University of Leeds.

ASBMB Mildred Cohn Young Investigator Award

In recognition of outstanding achievements and contributions to the molecular life sciences by a young investigator.

Joseph A. Cotruvo, Jr. is a professor of chemistry at Penn State University. discovers and characterizes new mechanisms of metal ion selectivity in biological systems. He has applied this work to develop genetically encoded tools for studying metal ions in cells and to create scalable, protein-based methods for separating valuable metal ions such as the lanthanides. Cotruvo has made important discoveries at the interface of bioinorganic chemistry and biotechnology, including identifying the lanthanide-binding protein lanmodulin and pioneering its use in rare-earth element separation, sensing, and environmental applications. He has received numerous awards for his work, including a Sloan Research Fellowship, the Early Career Award from the Society of Biological Inorganic Chemistry and the Eli Lilly Award in Biological Chemistry from the American Chemical Society Division of Biochemistry and Chemical Biology. He has also been named a Blavatnik National Awards Finalist.

ASBMB Ruth Kirschstein Award for Maximizing Access in Science

Honors an outstanding scientist who has shown a sustained commitment to breaking down local and/or systemic barriers against scientists and students from historically marginalized or excluded groups.

Donita C. Brady is an associate professor of cancer biology at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine. investigates how proteins drive cancer initiation, growth and spread, with a focus on tracking changes in protein function to improve predictions of treatment response, uncover new cancer vulnerabilities, and inform the development of targeted therapies. At Perelman, she established and directs the Office of Research Trainee Affairs, where she has modernized trainee hiring and recruitment practices. She also fosters an inclusive and supportive environment by providing rigorous training, mentorship and professional development. Through these efforts, she ensures that individuals from all backgrounds — including those from underrepresented or under resourced communities, and those with limited exposure to research opportunities — are equipped to excel, contribute and lead in biomedical science. Brady has received numerous awards for her work, including the Pew Charitable Trusts Biomedical Scholar Award and Innovation Fund Award, the William Guy Forbeck Research Foundation Scholar Award, and a V Foundation Scholar Award. She has also been recognized with multiple honors from the Perelman School of Medicine, including the Linda Pechenik Montague Investigator Award, the Michael S. Brown New Investigator Award, and the Dean’s Innovation Award. She serves as an associate editor and editorial board member of the Journal of Biological Chemistry and was co-chair of the 2025 ASBMB Annual Meeting.

ASBMB Sustained Leadership Award

Recognizes an individual at the full professor or senior scientist level and with more than 15 years of experience since receiving a Ph.D. and/or M.D.

is a professor of cell biology, vice provost and dean of the Duke University Graduate School. She has also served as program director in the Division of Molecular and Cellular Biosciences at the National Science Foundation and as a professor of biochemistry and molecular biology in the School of Medicine at Virginia Commonwealth University. Barbour has combined influential research in lipid biochemistry with a sustained record of mentoring, leadership and advocacy for inclusive excellence in science. To this end, she has organized annual meeting symposia, served as a mentor for the National Institutes of Health Maximizing Opportunities for Scientific and Academic Independent Careers, or MOSAIC, program and is an ASBMB fellow. In addition, Barbour served on the ASBMB Council, the Education and Professional Development Committee, the Annual Meeting Program Planning Committee and the Journal of Lipid Research editorial board. She was recently elected ASBMB secretary.

ASBMB William C. Rose Award for Exemplary Contributions to Education

Recognizes an individual who demonstrates an exceptional contribution to the teaching of biochemistry and molecular biology.

Pamela Mertz is a professor of chemistry and biochemistry at St. Mary’s College of Maryland. She teaches both biochemistry lecture and laboratory courses, as well as general chemistry II lab and medicinal chemistry. investigates regulation of malate dehydrogenase, and she incorporates research into the curriculum as a member of the Malate Dehydrogenase CUREs Community. She also conducts research in science pedagogy, currently focusing on biomolecular visualization literacy; she serves as an associate director for BioMolViz. She also serves on the editorial board of the journal Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Education. Mertz has transformed biochemistry education by leading national education initiatives, mentoring scores of undergraduates and developing innovative approaches to inclusive classrooms and curricula. She played an instrumental role in St. Mary’s ASBMB accreditation and has served as a judge in the annual ASBMB undergraduate poster competition for many years. She also served twelve years on the ASBMB Student Chapters Committee, five years as chair, currently serves on the ASBMB Nominating Committee, and is an ASBMB fellow.

Avanti Award in Lipids

Recognizes outstanding research contributions in the area of lipids.

James Olzmann is a professor at University of California, Berkeley, in the departments of molecular and cell biology and nutritional sciences and toxicology. investigates the regulation of cellular lipid homeostasis and has made seminal discoveries into the roles of lipid droplets and mechanisms of ferroptosis, a form of cell death. In a landmark discovery, Olzmann identified a critical pathway mediated by FSP1 that suppresses oxidative lipid damage and prevents ferroptosis. Building on this insight, his lab now leverages these discoveries to design new therapeutic strategies aimed at overcoming therapy-resistant forms of cancer. Olzmann is a fellow of the American Society of Cellular Biology.

Bert and Natalie Vallee Award in Biomedical Science

Awarded to an established scientist for outstanding accomplishments in basic biomedical research.

Roger J. Davis is a professor and chair of molecular medicine at the University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School. identified mechanisms that define the JNK signal transduction pathway that is implicated in inflammation-related diseases, including cancer, stroke, heart disease and diabetes. This knowledge may pave the way for novel therapeutic strategies. He is a member of the National Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Medicine, American Academy of Arts & Sciences, American Association for the Advancement of Science, American Academy of Microbiology, European Molecular Biology Organization and Royal Society.

Earl and Thressa Stadtman Distinguished Scientist Award

Awarded to a distinguished scientist for his or her outstanding achievement in basic research in the fields encompassed by the ASBMB. The award is given every other year, alternating with the Earl and Thressa Stadtman Young Scholar Award.

Kim Orth is an endowed chair for biomedical science and is a scholar in biomedical research at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. investigates the pathogenesis of Yersinia and Vibrio, which are linked to the bubonic plague and food poisoning. Using microbial genetics, biochemistry, cell biology, and bioinformatics, she has uncovered multiple biochemical mechanisms used by bacteria to subvert host signaling pathways, resulting in profound insight into human disease, including Type I diabetes and neuromuscular disorders. Orth has participated in many programs that promote underrepresented groups in science, including panel discussions at meetings conducted by the ɬÀï·¬ and other national meetings. She is a Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator and a member of the National Academy of Sciences. She has received numerous awards for her work, including the 2018 ASBMB–Merck Award and the 2012 ASBMB Young Investigator Award.

The Alice & C.C. Wang Award in Molecular Parasitology

Recognizes established investigators who are making seminal contributions to the field of molecular parasitology.

Margaret Phillips is a professor and chair of the Department of Biochemistry at UT Southwestern. studies the function and regulation of malaria-causing protozoal parasites, including the pyrimidine biosynthesis pathway. Phillips has advanced molecular parasitology through landmark discoveries in parasite metabolism, including validating a Plasmodium clinical drug target and uncovering unique regulatory mechanisms in Trypanosoma brucei. She has received many awards, including the ASBMB Herbert Tabor Research Award and a National Institutes of Health Merit Award. She also has been elected to the National Academy of Sciences and the American Academy of Microbiology. Phillips is also an ASBMB fellow.

Walter A. Shaw Young Investigator Award in Lipid Research

Recognizes outstanding research contributions in the area of lipids by a young investigator.

Monther Abu–Remaileh is an assistant professor of chemical engineering and genetics at Stanford University. identifies pathways that enable cellular and organismal adaptation to metabolic stress and changes in environmental conditions, as well as how these pathways malfunction in diseases, such as cancer and neurodegeneration. Abu–Remaileh and his team have developed novel tools and harness the power of metabolomics, proteomics and functional genomics to better understand lysosomal dysfunction and develop therapies to modulate the pathways that govern disease. Abu–Remaileh has received numerous awards for his work, including the Günter Blobel Early Career Award from the American Society for Cell Biology, the NIH Director's New Innovator Award and the R.R. Bensley Award in Cell Biology from the American Association for Anatomy. He is also a Sloan Research Fellow in Chemistry and Pew-Stewart Scholar.