The annual Phillip and Ruth Hettleman Prizes for Artistic and Scholarly Achievement have been awarded to five promising faculty members who exemplify groundbreaking and innovative research along with future career promise.
The late Phillip Hettleman, a member of the Carolina class of 1921, and his wife Ruth established their prestigious named award in 1986 to recognize the achievements of outstanding junior faculty. The recipients of the $8,000 prize will be recognized at an upcoming Faculty Council Meeting. They will also deliver a presentation on their research during University Research Week.
This year’s Hettleman Prize awardees are: Sarah Cohen, School of Medicine; Lindsey James, Eshelman School of Pharmacy; Marissa Hall, Gillings School of Global Public Health; Alex Zhukhovitskiy, College of Arts and Sciences; and Kathryn Leech, School of Education. Read below to learn about their research.
Sarah Cohen, Cell Biology and Physiology, School of Medicine
Research: Cohen is creating a better understanding of brain health by studying the interactions of organelles — subcellular structures like nuclei and mitochondria that perform specific jobs in cells. Her work focuses on organelle dynamics and fatty acid trafficking in and between cells, particularly in the context of the central nervous system.
Her lab uses cutting-edge multispectral imaging and computational tools to visualize and quantify these interactions in real time, revealing how disruptions in lipid trafficking contribute to neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. To do this work, Cohen and her team developed a versatile fluorescent toolkit that allows researchers to visualize dynamic membrane contact sites between organelles. These tools have been widely adopted by labs around the world, accelerating discoveries in cell biology.
Impact: Cohen is redefining how scientists understand cellular organization and its impact on brain health. Her findings advance fundamental biology and open new avenues for therapeutic strategies targeting lipid metabolism in neurological diseases. Cohen’s research has garnered funding from the NIH, Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, and Alzheimer’s Association.
“I am honored to be recognized with a Hettleman Prize for Artistic and Scholarly Achievement,” Cohen says. “It has been a joy working with my trainees and colleagues at UNC, using advanced microscopy — supported by excellent Core Facilities — to peer inside cells. With this support, I look forward to continuing to unravel the mysteries of intracellular communication.”
Lindsey James, Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, Eshelman School of Pharmacy
Research: James is a trailblazer in chemical biology and her research focuses on understanding and controlling gene expression — how genes are turned on and off — something that plays a key role in many illnesses, including cancer. She does this by designing special molecules that can either block the activity of or break down the proteins responsible for controlling gene activity.
One of her major achievements is creating new tools that can target and eliminate harmful proteins that were previously considered “undruggable.” These proteins are often involved in cancer, and by removing them, James’ work opens the door to new kinds of treatments. Her lab has developed several of these tools, including one that can destroy a specific cancer-linked protein.
Impact: James’ discoveries are helping scientists better understand how certain cancers grow and how to stop them. With support from Carolina and industry partners, her lab is developing a compound that could one day become a new medicine. Her research is helping to shape the future of medicine — bringing us closer to smarter, more targeted treatments for some of the toughest diseases.
“I’m humbled to have our work recognized with a Hettleman Prize and truly grateful for the School of Pharmacy and the University’s support,” says James. “This award is a testament to the creative and talented trainees that have come through my lab and the dedicated collaborators and mentors that I have worked with, without whom our work would not be possible. With this support, we will strive to discover molecules that have the potential to positively impact human health and work with partners that can assist in translating our findings to a clinical setting.”
Marissa Hall, Health Behavior, Gillings School of Global Public Health
Research: Hall is transforming how we understand and influence health behaviors through policy. Her research focuses on how product labeling, marketing, and availability shape consumer choices, especially around tobacco, alcohol, and food. She uses experimental methods to simulate real-world purchasing environments, and her work has demonstrated that pictorial warnings and front-of-package labels can significantly reduce the consumption of products like sugary drinks and cigarettes.
Currently, Hall leads NIH-funded studies on alcohol warning labels, exploring how stronger, more visible warnings can inform consumers about risks like cancer. Her research also addresses how labeling policies affect populations with limited English proficiency, a group often overlooked in public health communication.
Impact: Hall’s work is already shaping national policy conversations. She collaborates with legal scholars, advocacy groups, and regulatory agencies to ensure her research informs real-world decisions. Her findings have been cited in FDA literature reviews, U.S. Senate testimony, and local legislation. By showing how simple, well-designed warnings can shift behavior and improve public understanding of health risks, Hall’s work supports more equitable and effective public health policies.
“It is an enormous honor to receive a Hettleman Prize alongside this impressive group of interdisciplinary scholars at UNC,” Hall says. “I feel extremely grateful to work with an incredible group of trainees, staff, and fellow faculty, and be supported by a strong research infrastructure. I look forward to continuing to study timely, policy-relevant research questions and translating findings for change-makers so that our research has an impact in the real world.”
Alex Zhukhovitskiy, Chemistry, College of Arts and Sciences
Research: Zhukhovitskiy is reshaping the landscape of polymer chemistry through a concept he helped define: polymer backbone editing. He leads a research program that reimagines how polymers — long chains of repeating molecular units — can be transformed at their core. His lab focuses on three major areas: skeletal editing of polymer backbones, supramolecular engineering of entanglements, and the development of new mechanisms for controlled polymer synthesis.
Zhukhovitskiy’s work on skeletal editing allows chemists to insert, delete, or rearrange atoms within the backbone of a polymer, fundamentally altering its identity and properties. His team’s development of novel chemical reactions to convert one class of polymers into another enables the creation of materials that were previously inaccessible. In parallel, his group has devised methods to precisely control entanglements — mechanical connections between polymer chains — using supramolecular chemistry and has innovated new catalytic strategies for building nitrogen-rich and semiconducting polymers.
Impact: Zhukhovitskiy’s research addresses some of the most pressing challenges in materials science and sustainability. His work on polymer backbone editing offers a transformative approach to recycling and upcycling plastics. His innovations in catalyst design open the door to advanced materials like impact-proof plastics and artificial muscles that respond to light, which have applications for robotics, aerospace, and medicine.
“I am honored to receive the Phillip and Ruth Hettleman Prize, which would not be possible without the hard work of my students and postdoctoral scholars, as well as the ecosystem that supports scientific inquiry,” Zhukhovitskiy says. “This ecosystem — the Department of Chemistry, the College, the University, the broader Carolina community, as well as the federal agencies, foundations, and industrial partners who have funded our work — is the real champion. The recognition of the societal value provided by our research enterprise, and subsequent support of it, is essential for labs like mine to continue making advancements. I hope this support persists in the future.”
Kathryn Leech, School of Education
Research: Leech investigates how everyday conversations between adults and children shape early language, literacy, and STEM development. Her work spans observational studies in authentic environments, experimental research to uncover causal mechanisms, and the design of innovative interventions that empower families to support their children’s learning.
Leech’s research reveals that the quality of adult-child interactions plays a more critical role in children’s development than the quantity. Her studies have shown that decontextualized language — references to past or future events and explanatory dialogue — are linked to stronger vocabulary, narrative skills, and scientific reasoning in young children. Her work is funded by an NSF CAREER award, with additional support from NIH and from partnerships funded by the Gates Foundation.
Impact: Leech’s research has reshaped how scholars and practitioners think about early childhood learning. By identifying the specific conversational features that drive development, she has provided a roadmap for designing interventions that are both effective and scalable. Her work has demonstrated that even brief, well-targeted supports can optimize a family’s social interactions to significantly enhance children’s language and literacy outcomes.
“I am honored to receive the Hettleman Prize and grateful for this recognition,” Leech says. “I’ve been fortunate to work alongside incredible students and collaborators whose ideas continue to shape my own. This support enables us to translate developmental science into practical tools that help caregivers support children’s language and early learning at home. We’re also looking ahead to new questions and methods to better understand how adult-child interaction shapes early learning, and how to support these interactions more effectively at scale.”
This year, two researchers were given honorable mentions for the Hettleman Prizes: Ronit Freeman and Suzanne Lye in the College of Arts and Sciences. Both are eligible to receive the prize in the future.