HWNI members Diana Bautista and Samantha Lewis have both won 2026 honorific awards from The American Society for Cell Biology (ASCB). The annual awards honor exceptional scientists whose research, mentorship, and leadership are shaping the future of cell biology.
Bautista, a professor of molecular and cell biology, was awarded the E.E. Just Lecture, which recognizes the outstanding scientific achievements of a U.S. researcher belonging to an historically excluded group. Bautista studies the molecular mechanisms underlying itch, touch, and pain.
Lewis, an assistant professor of molecular and cell biology, was awarded the WICB Junior Award for Excellence in Research, which honors an early-career woman or non-binary person who is making exceptional scientific contributions to cell biology, is developing a strong independent research program, and exhibits the potential for continuing at a high level of scientific endeavor and leadership. Lewis studies mitochondria, including their role in brain diseases.
