Paul de Figueiredo named Curators’ Distinguished Professor

By Travis Zimpfer, zimpfert@missouri.edu | Show Me Mizzou

Six University of Missouri faculty members have been named Curators’ Distinguished Professors, the highest and most prestigious academic rank bestowed by the Board of Curators.

The six scholars are internationally recognized leaders whose work spans mathematics, the global supply chain, medicine, music, physics and animal health. Their accomplishments include pioneering new approaches to treating disease, advancing emerging technologies and bringing new music to stages around the world.

This year’s Mizzou recipients are:

• Dan Edidin, professor in the College of Arts and Science
• Paul de Figueiredo, professor in the School of Medicine
• Stefan Freund, professor in the College of Arts and Science
• Suchi Guha, professor in the College of Arts and Science
• Jung Ha-Brookshire, chair and professor in the College of Arts and Science
• Wenjun Ma, professor in the College of Veterinary Medicine with a joint appointment in the School of Medicine

Paul de Figueiredo

de Figueiredo is a scientist in the Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology and an investigator at Bond Life Sciences Center working at the intersection of microbiology, immunology and biotechnology to develop new ways to fight challenging diseases. His research focuses on engineering bacteria that could potentially be used to treat cancer and autoimmune diseases — turning microbes into tools that could help the body fight illness.

He has also founded several biotechnology companies to help move scientific discoveries toward potential new therapies for patients. His research collaborations have attracted more than $109 million in external funding. de Figueiredo is a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and serves in editorial roles for several scientific journals.

This story originally appeared on Show Me Mizzou on Wednesday, September 16, 2026.