BERKELEY, Calif. – Polina Lishko, Ph.D., a Ukrainian-born physiologist whose work at the University of California, Berkeley, has already led to the development of promising new non-hormonal contraceptives for women and could lead to male or unisex contraceptives, has been chosen to receive a 2020 MacArthur “genius” award.
The award comes with $625,000 in funding over five years, which Dr. Lishko, an associate professor of molecular and cell biology, will use to continue her work on reproductive physiology, including how sperm navigate the reproductive tract and the effects of aging on the female reproductive system. She was among 21 fellows announced on October 6 by the MacArthur Foundation.