Used with permission from Elsevier – © Elsevier.
Professors Juli Feigon and Sabeeha Merchant are among 12 trailblazing female scientists featured in the inaugural “Pioneers in Molecular Biology” issue of the Journal of Molecular Biology (JMB).
The Special Issue of June 1, 2025, highlights the backgrounds and contributions of individuals who have pioneered major advances within the field of molecular biology.
This inaugural issue marks a broader commitment by JMB to highlight the personal journeys and scientific achievements of diverse molecular biologists. By focusing on the stories behind the science, JMB aims to inspire the next wave of researchers across all backgrounds.
Professor Juli Feigon, a structural biologist, is celebrated for her pioneering work on the structure and function of nucleic acids, particularly in telomerase and ribonucleoproteins. Her research has provided deep insights into DNA and RNA architecture and their biological roles, paving the way for new understandings of genome stability and disease mechanisms.
A true trailblazer, Feigon became the first female assistant professor in the Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry when she joined the UCLA faculty in 1985. At that time, she was also one of the very few women academics in her field worldwide. Feigon is not only recognized for her groundbreaking research but also for her exceptional dedication to mentoring and empowering students. She was recently awarded the department’s highest honor, the 2024 Glenn T. Seaborg Medal. Read Feigon’s JMB article here.
Professor Sabeeha Merchant, known for her influential studies on trace metals and algal genomics, has made transformative contributions to our understanding of photosynthesis and metabolism. Her work spanning biochemistry to molecular genetics has advanced both fundamental science and bioenergy research.
Like Feigon, Merchant was one of only a few female biochemists at UCLA when she joined the faculty in 1987. One of the first to appreciate essential trace metals as potential regulators of gene expression, Merchant articulated the details of the nutritional Cu regulon in Chlamydomonas. She served as the director of the Institute for Genomics and Proteomics at UCLA from 2014 to 2018. In 2018, Merchant transitioned to the University of California, Berkeley, where she presently serves as a professor in the Department of Molecular and Cell Biology with a joint appointment in Plant and Microbial Biology. Merchant holds the Warren C. Eveland Chair in Biological Sciences. At UCLA, she continues to serve as an Adjunct Professor of Biochemistry. Read Merchant’s JMB article here.
Penny Jennings, UCLA Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, penjen@g.ucla.edu.
