Jen Heemstra, the Charles Allen Thomas Professor of Chemistry, has been inducted into the College of Fellows of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE).

Heemstra, known for her advocacy for students and early-career scientists as well as for her groundbreaking research into proteins and nucleic acids, was nominated and elected by peers and members of the College of Fellows.

In the announcement, the institute cited her for “leadership in research in chemical biology and advocacy for excellence in research mentorship and career advancement in STEM.”

According to the institute, induction into the College of Fellows is reserved for the top 2% of medical and biological engineers. All inductees are recognized for their outstanding contributions to "engineering and medicine research, practice, or education” and for "pioneering of new and developing fields of technology, making major advancements in traditional fields of medical and biological engineering or developing/implementing innovative approaches to bioengineering education."

“It is an honor to be elected as a Fellow of AIMBE, given their commitment to advocating for research and the development of technologies that benefit humanity,” Heemstra said. “I’m also thrilled to be associated with this organization because of the value they place on mentoring and leadership.”

Heemstra and her lab harness nucleic acid molecular recognition and self-assembly to create functional architectures for biosensing and bioimaging. Among other advances, her team is developing new ways to track and visualize natural RNA edits and other modified RNA structures in cells. In addition to revealing new insights into cellular function, the Heemstra lab is working to translate these technologies for diagnostics and drug discovery.

A formal induction ceremony was held on April 13, 2026, during the AIMBE Annual Event in Arlington, Virginia.