John Ralph, UW–Madison biochemistry emeritus professor, has been elected to the National Academy of Sciences. The 2026 election of 120 members brings the total number of active members to 2,705 including 32 researchers from UW–Madison. Members are recognized for their distinguished achievements in original research. Ralph, who retired in 2024, studied lignin structure and biosynthesis, decoding lignin biochemistry and identifying biosynthesis pathways.
“In addition to the personal honor and the validation of work on the abundant but little-recognized lignin polymer, this recognition acknowledges the accomplishments of an exceptional group of students, postdoctoral researchers, and distinguished colleagues from across the globe who have collaborated on significant plant-related projects,” says Ralph, who was also an investigator at the Wisconsin Energy Institute and the Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center. “The daily challenges, the exhilaration of novel discoveries, and, most importantly, the interaction with a cadre of brilliant young students and exceptional collaborators have rendered this journey profoundly rewarding.”
“It is a great and very well-deserved honor for John to be elected to the National Academy of Sciences for his outstanding work on the structure of plant cell walls. We are proud of his many ground-breaking scientific achievements and we celebrate his election,” says Richard Amasino, chair of the Department of Biochemistry, who was elected to the National Academy of Sciences in 2006.
Ralph is internationally recognized for his work on lignin, an aromatic compound which binds together plant sugars, giving structure, strength, and rigidity to plant cell walls. Lignin is used in a variety of products, including fuels and medicines, but its variable structure makes it difficult to study and complicated to break down.
Ralph pioneered novel approaches to understanding the biochemistry of lignin structures, including innovative uses of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). Over the course of his career, Ralph has studied a wide range of plants, revealing variability in lignin structure within and among plants and characterizing previously unknown lignin structures.
In 2024, Ralph and his collaborator, Wout Boerjan, were awarded the prestigious Marcus Wallenberg Prize for their contributions to our understanding of lignin biosynthesis and structural diversity by developing and innovatively applying analytical techniques, opening new opportunities for industrial uses of lignin.
“Lignin, the most abundant source of sustainable aromatics on the planet, remains largely unrecognized and underutilized. Advancements in comprehending its composition, structure, and the biochemical pathways and genes responsible for the production of its monomers have unveiled promising prospects for improvement of crops and trees as well as for lignin’s utilization,” says Ralph. “I sincerely hope that the field will continue to attract astute young researchers to develop novel knowledge and methodologies that will propel the field forward.”
The National Academy of Sciences is a private, nonprofit institution that was established under a congressional charter signed by President Abraham Lincoln in 1863. It recognizes achievement in science by election to membership, and provides science, engineering, and health policy advice to the federal government and other organizations.
Written by Renata Solan.