The North American Academy of Sciences (NAAS) proudly recognizes the exceptional achievements of its distinguished fellows, whose work continues to advance the frontiers of human knowledge. Among our members are six Nobel laureates whose groundbreaking discoveries have reshaped modern science and inspired generations of researchers worldwide.
In physiology or medicine, NAAS Fellow Dr. Shimon Sakaguchi, together with Mary E. Brunkow and Fred Ramsdell, was awarded the 2025 Nobel Prize for uncovering the mechanisms of peripheral immune tolerance — a discovery that paved the way for new approaches to autoimmune disease treatment and immunotherapy.
In physics, Dr. John Clarke, Dr. Michel H. Devoret, and Dr. John M. Martinis received the 2025 Nobel Prize for their pioneering research on macroscopic quantum tunneling and energy quantization in superconducting circuits, establishing key foundations for quantum computing and superconducting technologies.
In chemistry, NAAS Fellow Dr. Omar M. Yaghi, together with Susumu Kitagawa and Richard Robson, was honored with the 2025 Nobel Prize for the creation of metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) — a transformative class of materials capable of capturing carbon dioxide, extracting water from arid air, and catalyzing sustainable chemical reactions.
In addition to the 2025 laureates, NAAS proudly counts three earlier Nobel Prize winners among its distinguished fellows:
- Dr. Jennifer A. Doudna — awarded the 2020 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for the development of CRISPR–Cas9 genome editing technology, revolutionizing life sciences and opening new possibilities in medicine, agriculture, and biotechnology.
- Dr. Kip S. Thorne — recipient of the 2017 Nobel Prize in Physics for his decisive contributions to the LIGO detector and the observation of gravitational waves, confirming a century-old prediction of Einstein’s theory of relativity.
- Dr. Frances H. Arnold — winner of the 2018 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for pioneering directed evolution of enzymes, a method that has profoundly advanced green chemistry and sustainable industrial processes.
Together, these six laureates embody the enduring mission of NAAS: Excellence, Innovation, and Integrity. Their discoveries transcend disciplines, bridging science and society, and reaffirming the Academy’s commitment to advancing research that benefits humanity and the planet.
Through our recognition programs, fellowship elections, and global collaborations, NAAS continues to celebrate scientific leaders whose vision, courage, and creativity define the future of knowledge and progress.
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