Profiles

Flipping lipids and slime molds
A dull first job nearly pushed JBC associate editor Todd Graham out of science. Then a slime mold project changed his path. Now, he studies membrane biology and reflects on discovery, persistence and mentoring through uncertainty.

A chance encounter with the lab
Payton Stevens never planned to become a pancreatic cancer researcher. A temporary job set him on a path from rural Kentucky to leading research on Wnt signaling and metastasis, where he now pairs discovery with mentorship and science advocacy.

Introducing STEM before self-doubt
With hair biology workshops and hands-on STEM programs, Shyretha Brown is building pathways for young girls to see themselves in science. Through Building Bridges, she blends education, identity and access to expand who feels welcome in STEM.

The data that did not fit
Brent Stockwell’s perseverance and work on the small molecule erastin led to the identification of ferroptosis, a regulated form of cell death with implications for cancer, neurodegeneration and infection.

Building a career in nutrition across continents
Driven by past women in science, Kazi Sarjana Safain left Bangladesh and pursued a scientific career in the U.S.

From humble beginnings to unlocking lysosomal secrets
Monther Abu–Remaileh will receive the ASBMB’s 2026 Walter A. Shaw Young Investigator Award in Lipid Research at the ASBMB Annual Meeting, March 7-10 in Washington, D.C.

Chemistry meets biology to thwart parasites
Margaret Phillips will receive the Alice and C. C. Wang Award in Molecular Parasitology at the ASBMB Annual Meeting, March 7-10 in Washington, D.C.

Decoding how bacteria flip host’s molecular switches
Kim Orth will receive the Earl and Thressa Stadtman Distinguished Scientists Award at the ASBMB Annual Meeting, March 7–10, just outside of Washington, D.C.

Defining JNKs: Targets for drug discovery
Roger Davis will receive the Bert and Natalie Vallee Award in Biomedical Science at the ASBMB Annual Meeting, March 7–10, just outside of Washington, D.C.