Pictured above: (left to right) Professors Stephanie White and Barney Schlinger. (Not pictured: James Rheinwald.)
The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) named three UCLA Life Sciences researchers to their 2024 class of fellows today.
The AAAS is one of the world’s largest general scientific societies. To be named a AAAS fellow is a distinguished lifetime honor within the scientific community.
Here are excerpts from today’s UCLA Newsroom press release, highlighting UCLA Life Sciences’ newest AAAS fellows:
James Rheinwald
Associate project scientist in molecular, cell and developmental biology, UCLA College
Rheinwald’s work focuses on the molecular and genetic processes within skin cells that contribute to the development of tumors, and his research has identified the role of various proteins and genes in regulating cell growth, survival and death, processes often disrupted in cancer. In addition, he has been a pioneer in devising methods for cultivating human skin cells known as epithelial cells in the laboratory — an innovation that has been crucial in developing new strategies for testing drugs and therapies that target cancer cells.
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Barney Schlinger
Professor of integrative biology and physiology and of ecology and evolutionary biology, UCLA College
Schlinger’s laboratory studies how hormones influence the structure and function of the brain in order to control complex behavior in vertebrates, particularly songbirds. His research has explored an array of wild bird species, from jays to sparrows, and he has developed a model system for understanding neuromuscular and hormonal control in the courtship behavior of the male golden-collared manakin, a small tropical bird that lives in the lowland forests of Panama. Schlinger’s work links behavioral neuroendocrinology with diverse areas of anatomy, physiology and evolutionary theory.
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Stephanie Ann White
Professor of integrative biology and physiology, UCLA College
White, who directs UCLA’s Undergraduate Neuroscience Interdepartmental Program, studies the biology behind how the brain makes communication possible. Among her key interests is how social interaction influences the gene expression and neural circuitry that mediate song-learning behavior in birds — an important element in attracting mates, establishing territory and coordinating group behaviors. That research has led her lab to identify a gene called FoxP2, which plays a crucial role in the singing of male zebra finches and which may also be important in disorders of speech, including autism.
Read more about all of UCLA’s 2025 AAAS Fellows, here.