KANSAS CITY, MO—April 30, 2025—Jerry Workman, Ph.D., an Investigator at the Stowers Institute for Medical Research, has been elected to the National Academy of Sciences—one of the highest honors awarded to scientists in the United States and around the world. The election recognizes his lifetime achievements including groundbreaking discoveries and leadership in the field of gene regulation.

Workman is internationally recognized for his pioneering research on how histones—proteins essential for packaging DNA inside cells—regulate which genes are turned on or off. He was one of the first scientists to discover how cells add specific chemical modifiers to histones and demonstrated how these modifications are important for the exquisite regulation of gene expression. His discovery opened a new way of looking at how alteration in gene expression plays a critical role in human health and disease.

Stowers President and Chief Scientific Officer Alejandro Sánchez Alvarado, Ph.D., said, “Election to the National Academy of Sciences is one of the highest honors in American science. This honor is a testament to Jerry’s exceptional and enduring scientific accomplishments and his leadership in the field.”

Workman’s research has significantly advanced our understanding of the structure and function of chromatin. His discoveries have broad implications, including insights into cancer and other diseases.

“Jerry’s scientific contributions have had and continue to have profound implications for our understanding of fundamental biological processes,” added Stowers Scientific Director Kausik Si, Ph.D.

In addition to his research, Workman has trained several generations of postdoctoral researchers and graduate students, most of whom have gone on and established successful research careers of their own. He is also a faculty member of the Stowers Graduate School.

About the Stowers Institute for Medical Research

Founded in 1994 through the generosity of Jim Stowers, founder of American Century Investments, and his wife, Virginia, the Stowers Institute for Medical Research is a non-profit, biomedical research organization with a focus on foundational research. Its mission is to expand our understanding of the secrets of life and improve life’s quality through innovative approaches to the causes, treatment, and prevention of diseases.

The Institute consists of 20 independent research programs. Of the approximately 500 members, over 370 are scientific staff that include principal investigators, technology center directors, postdoctoral scientists, graduate students, and technical support staff. Learn more about the Institute at www.stowers.org and about its graduate program at www.stowers.org/gradschool.

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Joe Chiodo, Head of External Communications and Media Relations 
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About the National Academy of Sciences

The National Academy of Sciences is a private, nonprofit institution that was established under a congressional charter signed by President Abraham Lincoln in 1863. It recognizes achievement in science by election to membership, and—with the National Academy of Engineering and the National Academy of Medicine—provides science, engineering, and health policy advice to the federal government and other organizations. 
https://www.nasonline.org/