The Anne Welsh McNulty Chair of Science Innovation and Leadership at Hunter, Mandë Holford, a pioneering marine biochemist, has been named a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
Holford, a professor in the Chemistry and Biochemistry departments at Hunter and CUNY Graduate Center, joins 471 scientists, engineers, and innovators in the 2024 class of fellows, a distinguished lifetime honor.
“I’m exceedingly proud that this honor happened while I am at Hunter and CUNY,” Holford said. “I want to thank all current and former Holford lab members as well my Hunter family of colleagues and administrators for the support that enabled my science to advance to a point to receive an honor like this.”
The honor underscores Hunter’s commitment as an anchor institution to high-impact, world changing research in the sciences. Holford’s trailblazing research on the properties of venoms from snails, cephalopods, and other marine mollusks advances basic science but also yield insights that could lead to drugs for a variety of ailments. Venom-derived therapeutics now treat diabetes, heart disease, and pain, but the full potential of venom for medicine and biology remains untapped.
Holford’s research received several national honors. Most recently, she received one of eight National Institutes of Health Pioneer Awards granted in 2023, the first time a CUNY faculty member had received the Pioneer Award. The award is providing $5.5 million over five years to conduct research and to fund postdoctoral, graduate, and undergraduate student researchers in Holford’s laboratories.
Holford was named in 2024 as the inaugural holder of the McNulty Chair, which recognizes a prominent scientist who has distinguished themselves through teaching, research, scholarship, entrepreneurial activities, partnerships, awards and grants. The chair also must have demonstrated a deep commitment to advancing women in science, technology, engineering, and math.
The American Association for the Advancement of Science is one of the world’s largest general scientific societies and publishes the Science family of journals.
“This year’s class of fellows are the embodiment of scientific excellence and service to our communities,” said Sudip S. Parikh, chief executive officer and executive publisher. “At a time when the future of the scientific enterprise in the U.S. and around the world is uncertain, their work demonstrates the value of sustained investment in science and engineering.”
