The department of Genetics is delighted to announce that Professor Julie Ahringer, Group Leader at the Gurdon Institute and Professor of Genetics at the University of Cambridge, has been elected as a Member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
Founded in 1780, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences is one of the United States’ oldest and most prestigious learned societies. It honours excellence across a wide range of disciplines and convenes leaders from academia, science, the arts, and public life to address issues of national and global importance. Election to the Academy recognises individuals who have made exceptional contributions to their fields and to the advancement of knowledge for the public good.
Professor Ahringer is internationally recognised for her pioneering work in functional genomics, particularly through the development and application of genome-scale RNAi screening in Caenorhabditis elegans. Her research has had a major impact on our understanding of gene regulation, chromatin, and genome function, and has helped establish foundational approaches now used widely across biology.
With her election, Professor Ahringer joins a distinguished community of Academy members, past and present, including Charles Darwin, Albert Einstein, Barbara McClintock, Jennifer Doudna, and many other leading figures in science, culture, and public life. The 2026 class of new members was announced on April 22, 2026, as part of the Academy’s recognition of excellence coinciding with the United States’ 250th anniversary.
Commenting on the announcement, the American Academy noted that election reflects “the high regard in which [new members] are held by leaders in their field.”
Professor Ahringer will be formally inducted at a ceremony in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in October 2026.
The department of Genetics warmly congratulates Julie on this outstanding achievement.