Introduction
The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation has named two members of the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB) among its prestigious 2026 Sloan Research Fellows. Josefina del Mármol of Harvard Medical School and C. Denise Okafor of Pennsylvania State University have both earned this distinction. Together, they join a select group of early-career scientists recognized for exceptional creativity and scientific promise across the United States and Canada.
This recognition highlights the depth of talent within the ASBMB community. Moreover, it draws attention to two distinct yet equally vital areas of molecular research — insect sensory biology and protein signaling regulation.
What Is the Sloan Research Fellowship?
The Sloan Research Fellowship identifies and supports the most promising early-career researchers in science, mathematics, and economics. Recipients must demonstrate outstanding creativity, innovation, and research accomplishment in their fields. Furthermore, the fellowship signals that these scientists are on track to become the next generation of scientific leaders.
Each Sloan Research Fellow receives $75,000 in flexible research funding. Unlike many grants, these funds carry few restrictions. Consequently, fellows can direct the money wherever their research needs it most — whether for equipment, graduate student support, or experimental trials. Since 1955, the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation has awarded over 7,000 fellowships, producing dozens of Nobel laureates in the process.
Josefina del Mármol: Decoding the Insect Nose
Research Focus and Methods
Josefina del Mármol serves as an assistant professor of biological chemistry and molecular pharmacology at Harvard Medical School. Her laboratory investigates the molecular mechanisms behind sensory transduction, with a particular focus on the sense of smell in insect disease vectors such as mosquitoes.
Her work addresses a critical question: how do insects detect chemical signals that guide their behavior? To answer it, del Mármol and her team employ a powerful combination of tools. They use cryogenic electron microscopy (cryo-EM) to capture near-atomic images of olfactory receptors. Additionally, they apply electrophysiology to measure electrical activity, calcium imaging to track cellular responses, and computational modeling to simulate molecular interactions. Behavioral experiments round out their approach, linking molecular findings to real-world insect actions.
This research carries significant implications for public health. Understanding how mosquitoes smell human hosts may help scientists develop more effective repellents and disease-control strategies.
Awards and Recognition
Del Mármol’s achievements extend well beyond the Sloan Fellowship. She is a Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) Freeman Hrabowski Scholar and a former ASBMB MOSAIC (Maximizing Opportunities for Scientific and Academic Independent Careers) scholar. In addition, she has received the Association for Chemoreception Sciences Polak Young Investigator Award and the Blavatnik Regional Award in Life Sciences — further evidence of her rising stature in the scientific community.
C. Denise Okafor: Unlocking Protein Signaling
Research Focus and Methods
C. Denise Okafor holds a joint appointment as assistant professor of biochemistry and molecular biology and of chemistry at Pennsylvania State University. Her laboratory focuses on understanding the structural mechanisms of signaling and regulation within protein complexes.
Okafor’s team takes a computational and experimental approach. They run molecular dynamics simulations to observe how proteins move and interact at the atomic level. They also apply biochemical and structural techniques to validate those findings in the laboratory. Together, these methods reveal how protein function changes in response to various biological signals.
One area of special interest is nuclear receptors — proteins that play central roles in gene regulation. Okafor studies their complex allosteric regulatory mechanisms, meaning she examines how signals at one part of a protein influence activity at a completely different site. Because nuclear receptors are involved in diseases ranging from cancer to metabolic disorders, this research opens doors to new therapeutic targets.
Awards and Recognition
Okafor’s innovative research program has earned recognition from several major scientific bodies. She received the National Science Foundation Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Award, one of the most competitive honors for junior faculty in the U.S. Furthermore, the American Association for the Advancement of Science granted her the Marion Milligan Mason Award for Women in the Chemical Sciences. She also holds the prestigious NIH Director’s New Innovator Award, which supports unusually creative research with the potential for high impact.
Why These Fellowships Matter for Science
Early-career recognition matters deeply in the scientific enterprise. Both del Mármol and Okafor lead independent laboratories at major research universities, yet they remain in the critical early stages of building their research programs. The Sloan Fellowship provides more than money — it provides credibility and visibility at a formative career stage.
For del Mármol, the funding could accelerate structural studies of receptors that currently require enormous computational and experimental resources. For Okafor, it may enable broader exploration of allosteric mechanisms across different nuclear receptor families. In both cases, the fellowship removes financial barriers that often slow the boldest scientific ideas.
Additionally, both scientists represent the growing diversity of voices shaping modern biochemistry. Their presence among the 2026 Sloan cohort reflects the ASBMB’s broader commitment to supporting scientists from varied backgrounds and career stages.
Conclusion
The 2026 Sloan Research Fellowships awarded to Josefina del Mármol and C. Denise Okafor celebrate two scientists doing genuinely consequential work. Del Mármol is unraveling how insects smell — research with real potential to fight disease. Meanwhile, Okafor is mapping how proteins signal and regulate themselves, laying groundwork for future drug development. Both researchers exemplify the innovative spirit the Sloan Foundation seeks to recognize and nurture. Their selection is a proud moment for the ASBMB community and for science as a whole.
