Dr. Yunsun Nam receives 2026 O'Donnell Award in Biological Sciences for pioneering RNA research transforming gene regulation and cancer therapy

(Press-News.org) Renowned molecular biologist Yunsun Nam, Ph.D., Professor in the Departments of Biochemistry and Biophysics and the Doris and Bryan Wildenthal Distinguished Chair in Medical Science at UT Southwestern Medical Center, is the recipient of the 2026 Edith and Peter O’Donnell Award in Biological Sciences from TAMEST. She was chosen for her groundbreaking research into how RNAs and proteins interact at the molecular level – providing key insights for gene regulation, cancer biology and RNA-based therapeutics.

 

Crucial cellular events rely on precise communication between proteins and RNAs. Dr. Nam’s lab is uncovering the molecular rules that govern this specificity. Her group elucidated how tiny regulatory molecules called microRNAs are selected and processed in cells, a step critical for switching specific genes “on” or “off.” Her discoveries further revealed that a molecule called heme – more commonly known for carrying oxygen in red blood cells – fine-tunes the fidelity of the Microprocessor complex, a protein machine central to microRNA biogenesis.

 

The Nam lab also investigates how chemical modifications such as RNA methylation can alter an RNA’s fate and reshape cellular programming. They showed how each of several RNA modification enzymes uses a distinct strategy to recognize its target. Deciphering these rules led Dr. Nam’s group to uncover a novel mechanism linking dysregulated RNA methylation to cancer.

 

Her innovative approach uses cutting-edge biochemistry and structural biology methods, including cryo-electron microscopy, to visualize molecular interactions. Her ability to combine the chemical findings with cellular studies and machine learning enables the group to uncover how each RNA-protein event is interpreted as a signal inside cells. This work not only deepens fundamental understanding of RNA biology but also creates new opportunities for diagnosing and treating disease, especially cancers driven by misregulated RNA pathways.

 

“Dr. Nam is a brilliant scientist whose discoveries have transformed how scientists think about gene regulation and opened entirely new avenues in RNA biology and cancer research,” said nominator Yuh Min Chook, Ph.D., Professor of Pharmacology and Biophysics at UT Southwestern and recipient of the 2015 O’Donnell Award in Biological Sciences. “Her structural, biochemical and genetic insights have already reshaped the field and will continue to fuel transformative advances in molecular biology. She is truly helping turn basic science into medical breakthroughs.”

 

Dr. Nam is one of five Texas-based researchers receiving the TAMEST 2026 Edith and Peter O’Donnell Awards. Each is chosen for their individual contributions addressing the essential role that science and technology play in society, and whose work meets the highest standards of exemplary professional performance, creativity and resourcefulness.

 

Since the inception of the O'Donnell Awards in 2006, nearly $2.2 million has been awarded to more than 85 recipients in the categories of medicine, engineering, biological sciences, physical sciences and technology innovation. Eighteen past recipients have gone on to be elected to the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine, including six elected to more than one National Academy.

 

“The Edith and Peter O’Donnell Awards have shone a spotlight on Texas’ brightest emerging researchers who are pushing the boundaries of science and technology for the past 20 years,” said Edith and Peter O’Donnell Awards Committee Chair Margaret A. Goodell, Ph.D. (NAM, NAS), Baylor College of Medicine, who herself received the O’Donnell Award in Medicine in 2011. “Each year, these awards celebrate not only exceptional individual achievement but also the profound impact that innovative research has on communities, industries and our future. It is inspiring to witness the next generation of trailblazers making Texas a global leader in transformative discovery.”

 

Dr. Nam will be honored at the 20th Anniversary Edith and Peter O’Donnell Awards Dinner and Ceremony on Tuesday, February 3, 2026, and will present her research at the TAMEST 2026 Annual Conference: Pioneering Climate Innovations, taking place at the Kimpton Santo Hotel in San Antonio, Texas.

 

All are welcome to register to attend the ceremony and the conference. Nominations for the 2027 Edith and Peter O’Donnell Awards will open Tuesday, January 20, 2026, and close Monday, March 30, 2026, at 6 p.m. CT.

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