Biological sciences professor Magdalena Bezanilla has been named a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, according to a Mar. 27 announcement. This distinction recognizes her pioneering research on plant cell growth and development.
Bezanilla, who is the Ernest Everett Just 1907 Professor of Biological Sciences, is among nearly 449 scientists, engineers and innovators elected as 2025 AAAS Fellows. Her work has focused on understanding how cells shape themselves and their environment, which could eventually help scientists engineer plants with traits such as climate resilience or suitability for biofuel production.
“I’m deeply honored that the scientific community values the contributions that my lab has made over the years,” said Bezanilla.
Her laboratory pioneered using moss as a model system to uncover molecular mechanisms underlying cell structure. In 2009, she led a team that developed multi-gene silencing techniques in moss, allowing groups of genes to be studied simultaneously. More recently, her group has streamlined genetic editing tools tailored for this organism. These advances have enabled researchers to observe protein behavior in living cells and study tissue patterning over time.
A study led by Bezanilla in 2023 identified cellulose synthase-like D as an important protein involved in plant growth and cellulose generation. Another recent project revealed how calcium ions help plant cells create chemical maps directing where new material is added during growth. Ongoing research focuses on receptors that regulate stress responses in plants—a key factor for improving crop resilience.
Bezanilla’s achievements have been recognized by several awards including being named a fellow of the American Society of Plant Biologists in 2023 and receiving honors such as the Golden Spore Award from the International Molecular Moss Science Society, National Science Foundation CAREER award, Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers, and Packard Fellowship for Science and Engineering.
“Professor Bezanilla’s research has been key to elucidating the underlying mechanisms that control cell shape, and this award is fitting recognition of her importance to the field,” said Jane Lipson, associate dean for the sciences.
