School of Medicine faculty honored as 2025 AAAS Fellows

By Eric Stann, StannE@missouri.edu

Paul de Figueiredo, PhD, and Wes Warren, PhD, were two of three University of Missouri professors named 2025 AAAS Fellows, announced on Thursday, March 26, by the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Mizzou researchers are constantly pushing the boundaries of science to drive breakthroughs that transform lives. Their relentless curiosity fuels discoveries that shape the future of Missouri and beyond.

De Figueiredo and Warren joined Roman Ganta, PhD, as three Mizzou researchers who were recognized as 2025 fellows for their distinguished efforts in advancing various fields of science.

AAAS is the world’s largest general scientific society and publisher of the journal Science. Founded in 1848, the nonprofit fulfills its mission to advance science and service society through initiatives in science policy, international programs, science education and public engagement.

Paul de Figueiredo is being recognized for his distinguished contributions to microbiology, especially for creating new tools that help scientists better understand how microbes work — and for using those microbes in innovative ways to tackle major diseases.

His team also explores how certain microbes could be turned into new ways to treat cancer and autoimmune disorders. In collaboration with engineers, he has helped create advanced tools that reveal fresh insights into how microbes function and interact with their hosts.

“I am honored to accept this distinction on behalf of the research staff, students and trainees in my lab who are advancing the development of next-generation technologies that address challenges in biodefense, infectious disease, cancer and autoimmune disease,” he said.

Wesley Warren is being recognized for his leadership in generating and analyzing genome scale data — work that has reshaped research across evolutionary biology, functional genomics, biomedicine and agriculture.

That expertise anchors his current research, which compares whole genomes to uncover how organisms adapt at the genetic level, offering insights that also deepen our understanding of human biology. Warren’s lab now uses single-cell technologies to comparatively dissect and unravel the complexity underlying novel traits.

“It is a tremendous honor to be named an AAAS Fellow in recognition of my contributions to comparative genomics,” he said. “This distinction marks a full circle moment in a career devoted to advancing discovery across diverse species and deepening our understanding of the genetic blueprints of life. The University of Missouri provided the foundation that enabled me to pursue state of the art genomic science and contribute discoveries that continue to support knowledge and conservation of many animal species.”

This story originally appeared on Show Me Mizzou.