Svetlana Mojsov

Svetlana Mojsov is a research associate professor at Rockefeller University, renowned for discovering glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and its role in insulin secretion. Previously at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) in the 1980s, she led peptide synthesis research that enabled breakthroughs in diabetes and obesity treatments. Her work, initially underrecognized, is now celebrated with top scientific awards as GLP-1-based drugs like Ozempic transform medicine.

Mojsov earned her undergraduate degree in physical chemistry from the University of Belgrade. She then pursued doctoral studies at Rockefeller University (1972), working with Nobel laureate Robert Bruce Merrifield on peptide synthesis, specifically glucagon. Her 1978 thesis, "Studies on solid-phase peptide synthesis: the synthesis of glucagon," laid groundwork for her later discoveries.

Her research focuses on peptide biochemistry and metabolic regulation. She identified GLP-1 as a key incretin hormone that stimulates insulin release via a 31-amino-acid fragment, revolutionizing diabetes treatment. Current interests include structure-activity relationships of GLP-1 analogs and their mechanisms in glucose metabolism. This work bridges basic science and therapeutics, targeting obesity and diabetes through hormone-based drugs.

Mojsov's publications (1984-1992) trace a clear arc: from glucagon synthesis to GLP-1 discovery and clinical validation. Early work optimized peptide production; later studies defined GLP-1's insulinotropic effects in rats and humans. Keywords span biochemistry and endocrinology, with subfields like incretin physiology and peptide therapeutics. These papers directly enabled GLP-1 analogs now used by millions, showcasing rapid translation from lab to clinic.

Mojsov's awards reflect her transformative impact:

• VinFuture Prize (2023)
• Nature's 10 (2023)
• Time100 Health (2023)
• Pearl Meister Greengard Prize (2024)
• Time 100 Most Influential People (2024)
• Princess of Asturias Award (2024)
• Tang Prize (2024)
• Lasker Award (2024)
• BBVA Award (2024)
• Breakthrough Prize (2025)
• Warren Prize (2025)
• Distinguished Medical Science Award (2025)

While student advisees aren't documented, Mojsov collaborated closely with Joel Habener, Gordon Weir, and others at MGH and Joslin Diabetes Center. Her research was institutionally funded, but the commercialization of GLP-1 analogs by Novo Nordisk generated royalties; she successfully fought for patent inclusion after initial exclusion, securing partial credit and payments.

Mojsov worked in elite labs: Merrifield's at Rockefeller (PhD), then Habener's at MGH (1980s), where she directed peptide synthesis. Returning to Rockefeller in the 1990s, she joined Steinman's lab. These environments fostered interdisciplinary work with clinicians and biochemists, accelerating the path from peptide discovery to diabetes therapeutics.