Professor and Garey Chair of Chemistry and Biochemistry Maha Zewail-Foote presented her research at the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB) Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C., highlighting how alternative DNA structures and DNA damage influence repair and the development of mutations. This work contributes to understanding genetic instability and human disease, and provides new insight into the mechanisms underlying genetic instability and human disease.

Professor and Garey Chair of Chemistry and Biochemistry Maha Zewail-Foote delivered a presentation, titled “From Curiosity to Confidence: Inclusive Teaching in Undergraduate Chemistry and Biochemistry Courses,” at the AAC&U Transforming STEM Higher Education Conference, highlighting strategies to support student engagement and success in STEM, and was also invited to serve as a session chair.

Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry and holder of the Garey Endowed Chair in Chemistry Maha Zewail-Foote presented at the UNESCO Regional Centre for Quality in Education’s International Forum on World Quality Day. Her presentation, “Thinking Differently about Quality: Curiosity, Connection, and the Future of Learning,” explored how mentorship, inclusivity, and human-centered teaching can advance educational quality and innovation. Addressing an international audience of education leaders and policymakers, Dr. Zewail-Foote reflected on the power of curiosity and compassion in shaping the future of global education and advancing equitable, high-quality learning experiences.

Professor and Garey Chair of Chemistry and Biochemistry Maha Zewail-Foote is the first author of a landmark publication in Nucleic Acids Research, a top journal in the field showcasing leading edge research. This publication, “Oxidative damage within alternative DNA structures results in aberrant mutagenic processing,” is the result of years of dedicated work and marks a major scholarly milestone. Conducted in collaboration with a research team at UT Austin, this work demonstrates that certain DNA structures are particularly susceptible to damage, contributing to genetic instability — a key factor in diseases like cancer.

Professor of Biochemistry and Garey Chair of Chemistry Maha Zewail-Foote gave an oral presentation for a special session on mechanisms of genomic repair and mutagenesis at the Southwest Regional Meeting of the American Chemical Society in Waco, TX. Her presentation highlighted research conducted during her sabbatical, in collaboration with researchers at UT Austin.