The rockefeller university

Svetlana Mojsov

Svetlana Mojsov, a research associate professor whose research led to the development of drugs for obesity and diabetes, has become the latest Rockefeller scientist to be elected to the National Academy of Sciences, a group of the nation’s most accomplished scientists. The mission of the National Academy is to provide the nation and government with objective advice on issues in science and technology. Founded in 1863 under Abraham Lincoln, the it is one of the world’s most prestigious professional societies; scientists are elected by their peers to membership for outstanding contributions to research.

Mojsov’s research on glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1), a hormone released by the gut in response to food, underlies one of the most significant public health breakthroughs in recent memory: namely the development of highly effective drugs used in the treatment of metabolic disorders, diabetes, and obesity. Her research began at Rockefeller in the mid-1970s, when she first began working on peptide synthesis in Bruce Merrifield’s laboratory, and continued at Massachusetts General Hospital, where she discovered and characterized GLP-1, and later as a member of Ralph Steinman’s Rockefeller laboratory.

The resulting drugs, the first of which came to market in the early 2010s, mimic GLP-1 and stimulate the production of insulin while suppressing the release of glucagon, a hormone that raises blood sugar. They increase satiety and decrease appetite, leading to lower blood glucose levels in diabetic patients and weight loss. Ongoing research is showing they have a host of other benefits as well, including in the treatment of heart disease, kidney disease, sleep apnea, neurodegenerative disorders, and even addiction.

Mojsov’s seminal contributions to the development of GLP-1 agonists has been receiving significant attention in recent years, and Svetlana has been the recipient of numerous high-profile awards and honors in 2024 and 2025. These include the Frontiers of Knowledge Award, the Lasker Award, the Tang Prize, the Warren Triennial Prize, the Princess of Asturias Award, the Pearl Meister Greengard Prize, and the 2025 Breakthrough Prize.

With Mojsov’s election, 35 members of Rockefeller’s scientific community are members of the NAS.