Yang Yang, Ph.D. Purdue University College of Pharmacy; HHMI
Yang Yang, Ph.D., is the Jack and Barbara McCoy Associate Professor in the Borch Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology at Purdue University. His research advances precision medicine for genetic neurological disorders, with particular focus on autism, epilepsy, chronic pain, and disorders caused by mutations in voltage-gated sodium channels. Using mouse models, human stem cell-derived neurons, brain organoids, and genomic technologies, Dr. Yang investigates how disease-causing variants alter neuronal and neuroimmune function.
Alice Yen-Ping Ting, Ph.D., is a Professor of Genetics, Biology, and Chemistry at Stanford University, a Chan Zuckerberg Biohub Investigator, and a member of the National Academy of Sciences. A leader in chemical biology and molecular technology development, her laboratory creates innovative tools for studying living cells and neural systems. Dr. Ting is best known for pioneering proximity-labeling methods, including APEX2, TurboID, and miniTurbo, which enable spatial mapping of proteins and molecular interactions in living systems.
Stefanie Sarantopoulos, M.D., Ph.D. Duke University, Duke Cancer Institute
Stefanie Sarantopoulos, M.D., Ph.D., is Professor and Chief of the Division of Hematologic Malignancies and Cellular Therapy at Duke University, where she also co-leads the Immuno-Oncology Program and directs the Chronic Graft-versus-Host Disease program. Her research has advanced understanding of the immune mechanisms that drive chronic graft-versus-host disease, particularly the role of B-cell dysregulation following allogeneic stem cell transplantation. Dr.
Bonnie L. Bassler, Ph.D. Princeton University; HHMI
Bonnie L. Bassler, Ph.D., is the Andrew K. Golden University Professor at Princeton University and a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator. A pioneering molecular biologist, her research has transformed understanding of quorum sensing, the chemical communication system bacteria use to coordinate collective behaviors. Her discoveries revealed how bacteria communicate within and across species and how these signaling networks regulate virulence, biofilm formation, and microbial interactions. Dr.
Dariush Mozaffarian, M.D., Dr.P.H., is a cardiologist, public health scientist, and Director of the Food is Medicine Institute at Tufts University. He is also Distinguished Professor, Dean Emeritus, and Jean Mayer Professor at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, and Professor of Medicine at Tufts University School of Medicine. A global leader in nutrition and cardiometabolic health, Dr. Mozaffarian advances evidence-based approaches to improve nutrition security, health equity, and healthcare outcomes.
Susan Kaech, Ph.D. Princeton University; Salk Institute for Biological Studies
Susan M. Kaech, Ph.D., is Professor and Director of the NOMIS Center for Immunobiology and Microbial Pathogenesis at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies, where she holds the NOMIS Foundation Chair. A leading immunologist, her research has advanced understanding of how memory T cells develop during infection and vaccination and why immune responses can fail in chronic disease and cancer. Her laboratory investigates the genetic, molecular, and metabolic pathways that shape T-cell function, including how tumors suppress immune activity. Dr.
Akiko Iwasaki, Ph.D. Yale University School of Medicine
Akiko Iwasaki, Ph.D., is Sterling Professor of Immunobiology and Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology at Yale University, a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator, and Director of the Center for Infection and Immunity. A leading immunologist, her research has transformed understanding of immune defense against viruses at mucosal surfaces and the mechanisms underlying respiratory infections, including COVID-19 and long COVID. Dr. Iwasaki’s work integrates fundamental immunology with studies to uncover protective and pathogenic immune responses.
This page was last updated on Wednesday, August 12, 2026
