The National Academy of Sciences (NAS), established in 1863, is the body of distinguished researchers “charged with providing independent, objective advice to the nation on matters related to science and technology.” Election to membership is among the highest honors a scientist can receive. This year, eight Damon Runyon alumni join the NAS ranks, bringing the total number of Damon Runyon alumni in NAS to 97.

“Of course, my Damon Runyon postdoctoral fellowship with Corey Goodman at UC Berkeley back in the 1980s started me off on my neural development work,” recalls Alex Kolodkin, PhD, a pioneering neurologist and one of this year’s elected members. “It provided a foundation essential for everything else I and the folks in my lab have been able to do over the years.”

William M. Clemons, Jr., PhD (Fellow ’02-’04), California Institute of Technology, Pasadena

Gordon Freeman, PhD (Fellow ’79-’81), Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston

 Linda Hsieh-Wilson, PhD (Fellow ’97-’00), California Institute of Technology, Pasadena

Erik Jorgensen, PhD (Fellow ’89-’92; Scholar ’97-’98), University of Utah, Salt Lake City

Alex L. Kolodkin, PhD (Fellow ’87-’90), Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore

Michael J. Lichten, PhD (Fellow ’82-’84), National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD

Joseph D. Mougous, PhD (Fellow ’05-’07), University of Washington, Seattle

Julie A. Segre, PhD (Fellow ’97-’00), National Human Genome Research Institute, Bethesda, MD

Read more: National Academy of Sciences