National Academy of Sciences

09/14/2026

How do plants respond to disease? Luis Sequeira spent his career uncovering the answer. 🌱

A pioneering plant pathologist, Sequeira made seminal contributions to our understanding of plant disease physiology and the interactions between plants and disease-causing bacteria. His scientific legacy was matched by his impact as a teacher; generations of students remembered him as a gifted, gracious, and inspiring educator.

Read a new NAS memoir honoring his life and research:https://www.nasonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Sequeira-Luis.pdf

09/11/2026

In a new statement marking the 25th anniversary of 9/11, the presidents of the National Academies honor those who lost their lives, their families, first responders, and those who served in the military after the attacks.

https://ow.ly/XILt50ZMBB0

09/09/2026

Congratulations to the 2026 Lasker Award winners!

Since 1945, the Lasker Awards have honored discoveries that deepen our understanding of fundamental biological processes and advance human health. This year’s recipients continue that tradition, recognizing research that illuminates the biology of health and disease and opens new possibilities for improving human lives.

We are especially proud to celebrate Emmanuel Mignot and Masashi Yanagisawa, who are among this year’s honorees.

Learn more about the 2026 recipients in PNAS: https://www.pnas.org/post/update/pnas-celebrates-2026-lasker-awards

09/08/2026

What does it mean to lead one of the nation’s leading scientific institutions in a rapidly changing political and social landscape?

In a new interview on the Science podcast, NAS President Neil Shubin speaks with Science Editor-in-Chief Holden Thorp about the challenges of leading the National Academy of Sciences and the goals and principles guiding his decisions.

The conversation explores Shubin’s vision for the Academy and his approach to navigating a consequential moment for science and scientific institutions.

Listen to the full conversation:

Science Editor-in-Chief Holden Thorp talks to Neil H. Shubin is a p...

08/31/2026

A new NAS memoir honors Ira B. Bernstein, a monumental figure in theoretical plasma physics whose foundational contributions continue to influence the field.

During his career at the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, Bernstein developed influential theories describing the behavior of plasmas, including the waves that now bear his name, Bernstein modes. He also co-authored landmark work on magnetohydrodynamic stability and nonlinear plasma dynamics, research that remains central to understanding and advancing magnetic fusion.

Read the NAS memoir celebrating Bernstein's life and lasting scientific legacy:https://www.nasonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Bernstein-Ira-B.pdf

08/27/2026

Illegal markets take many forms, from human smuggling and money laundering to wildlife trafficking, illicit to***co, fi****ms, and drugs. But what can we learn by studying them through a common analytical framework?

A new PNAS Special Feature brings together research examining how these markets operate and what makes them distinct from legal markets.

By applying shared approaches across diverse forms of illicit activity, the collection offers new perspectives on illegal markets and how scientific research can help inform more effective public policy.

Explore the Special Feature: https://www.pnas.org/topic/581

08/26/2026

Who’s a good dog? Genetics may have something to say about that. 🐾

For , meet Elaine Ostrander, a geneticist whose research has helped establish the dog as a powerful system for studying genetics, disease, behavior, and evolution.

From the genes that contribute to the remarkable diversity of domestic dog breeds to those linked to breed-specific diseases, Ostrander’s work is helping scientists better understand our canine companions and human health. Her lab has a particular focus on cancer and other diseases that dogs and humans share.

In this video, Ostrander explores what mapping the canine genome has revealed about dogs, their evolutionary history, and even the instincts and behaviors written into their DNA.

🐕 Watch the interview:

In celebration of National Dog Day on August 26, the Academy is spotlighting NAS member Elaine Ostrander, NIH Distinguished Investigator and Chief at the National Human Genome Research Institute. Ostrander is a geneticist recognized for her work on advancing the dog as a genetic system for studies o...

08/24/2026

Born in 1916 was Melvin “Mel” Green, a pioneering geneticist whose six-decade career helped shape our understanding of genes and genomes.

Green had a deep admiration for Drosophila melanogaster—better known as the fruit fly—and believed that many of the fundamental principles of genetics could be traced to its study. Guided by the advice to “treasure your exceptions,” he screened enormous numbers of flies and used his remarkable powers of observation to uncover the unexpected.

His research led to important discoveries in genetics, including his seminal work on transposable elements in Drosophila. Beyond his more than 125 scientific papers, Green also inspired generations of students through decades of teaching at UC Davis.

Read the NAS memoir celebrating his life and legacy:https://www.nasonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Green-Melvin-M.pdf

08/20/2026

What if stopping malaria didn’t mean stopping mosquitoes? 🦟

On , explore new research from Flaminia Catteruccia, who is taking a different approach to malaria prevention: targeting the parasite inside the mosquito.

Catteruccia and her team have developed compounds that disrupt the malaria parasite’s mitochondria, preventing it from developing inside mosquitoes. The compounds can be applied to bed nets, allowing mosquitoes to encounter them as they land and potentially stopping malaria transmission before the parasite reaches people.

The approach is now moving from the laboratory toward real-world testing in Ethiopia, where researchers will evaluate treated nets during peak malaria season.

Read the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) story to learn more about Catteruccia’s work to develop new strategies for combating malaria: https://www.hhmi.org/news/antimalarial-bed-nets-malaria-parasite-mosquitoes

And for a deeper dive into her research, watch her Research Briefing from the 2025 NAS Annual Meeting: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JUyMhAMCEGU&list=PLlKst-jESy-_QymwMrJiXpqj2XM3L6I-7&index=4

08/20/2026

What makes one mosquito capable of spreading malaria while another isn't? 🦟

For , we spoke with mosquito biologist and Nora Besansky about the remarkable diversity of mosquitoes, the devastating global burden of malaria, and how genetics could help inform new approaches to disease prevention.

Read the full Q&A here: https://www.nasonline.org/news/world-mosquito-day-qa-with-nora-besansky-understanding-malarias-most-vexing-vectors/