We are delighted to share that Professor Uta Paszkowski, a team leader within the ENSA project, has been elected as an International Member of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences (NAS). This honour recognises her distinguished and ongoing contributions to original research in plant–fungal symbioses.
Uta leads a research team within ENSA that focuses on uncovering the molecular mechanisms underlying the formation of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) symbioses and the nutritional benefits they confer—particularly phosphate uptake in cereal crops. Her group has established rice and maize as monocotyledonous model systems for studying the molecular genetics of AM symbioses and has made seminal contributions to this area of plant science.
Responding to the announcement, Uta said:
“I still cannot believe that this is true and thank the NAS for the recognition of our work, but even more I feel an immense gratitude to my team for all the wonderful science that we do together.”
The National Academy of Sciences announced the election of 120 members and 30 international members in April 2025, acknowledging their outstanding achievements in scientific research. With this announcement, the Academy’s total active membership stands at 2,662, with 556 international members.