Faculty in chemistry, biological sciences, psychology named AAAS fellows | News | Notre Dame News | University of Notre Dame Skip To Content Skip To Navigation Skip To Search University of Notre Dame Notre Dame News Experts ND in the News Subscribe About Us Home Contact Search Menu Home › News › Faculty in chemistry, biological sciences, psychology named AAAS fellows Faculty in chemistry, biological sciences, psychology named AAAS fellows Published: January 26, 2022 Author: Notre Dame News Patricia L. Clark Three faculty members at the University of Notre Dame have been named fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). Patricia L. Clark, the Rev. John Cardinal O’Hara, C.S.C., Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry, associate vice president for research and director of the Biophysics Instrumentation Core Facility at Notre Dame, is being honored for her seminal contributions in characterizing the biology and biochemistry of unfolded proteins, and for her pioneering work in the consequences of synonymous substitutions on fitness. Clark studies how proteins — the powerhouses of human cells — fold or misfold into three-dimensional shapes as they are synthesized and secreted across cell membranes. Misfolded proteins can lead to a variety of diseases, from cancer to Alzheimer’s disease.   Darcia Narvaez Darcia Narvaez, professor emerita of psychology, is being honored for her distinguished contributions illuminating typical and atypical development in terms of well-being, morality and sustainable wisdom. Narvaez examines how early life experience, the “evolved nest,” influences moral functioning and well-being in children and adults and integrates evolutionary, anthropological, neurobiological, clinical, developmental and education sciences in her work. Narvaez received the William James Book Award from the American Psychological Association and the inaugural Expanded Reason Award for research for her book “Neurobiology and the Development of Human Morality: Evolution, Culture, and Wisdom.”   Michael Pfrender Michael Pfrender, professor of evolutionary and ecological genomics and director of Notre Dame’s Genomics and Bioinformatics Core Facility, is being honored for his distinguished contributions to the field of ecological and environmental genomics, and in particular for work developing the genomics of the species Daphnia, often referred to as a water flea, as a model evolutionary system. Pfrender’s work connects genome structure, quantitative genetic architecture, patterns of gene expression and gene evolution with the process of, and limits to, adaptation in changing environments.  The election of AAAS fellows is an honor bestowed upon members by their peers.  Posted In: Faculty and Staff Colleges & Schools Home Experts ND in the News Subscribe About Us Related October 04, 2022 NIH awards $4 million grant to psychologists researching suicide prevention July 28, 2022 In memoriam: Robert L. Amico, former School of Architecture chairman and professor May 25, 2022 Of faith and reason: Reflecting on Sister Kathleen Cannon’s 32 years at Notre Dame January 13, 2022 NEH awards four fellowships, digital scholarship grant to Arts and Letters, Keough School faculty January 07, 2022 Two Notre Dame faculty rank on Edu-Scholar Public Influence list For the Media Contact Office of Public Affairs and Communications Notre Dame News 500 Grace Hall Notre Dame, IN 46556 USA Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube Pinterest © 2022 University of Notre Dame Search Mobile App News Events Visit Accessibility Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube LinkedIn