When most people think of fats, they think of fats. james ortsman Think about life itself, how cells store energy, maintain balance, and decide when to die. His discoveries have reshaped the way scientists understand lipid biology and revealed how these molecules promote health, disease, and survival.

Impressive. Innovative. A dedicated leader and someone who lifts others up. These are the words colleagues use to describe James Olzmann, winner of the 2026 Avanti Award in Lipids from the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

At the University of California, Berkeley, Professor Oltzman has helped redefine the way researchers think about lipids. His research has led to advanced knowledge of lipid droplets, lipid metabolism, and ferroptosis, a controlled form of cell death defined by the accumulation of toxic lipid peroxides.

Jeremy Thorner, a distinguished professor emeritus at the University of California, Berkeley, wrote in his letter of recommendation that Oltsman “has an unerring ability to identify important problems and the courage and creativity to develop new interdisciplinary strategies to address these problems.”

Early in Oltzmann’s career, lipid droplets were thought to be nothing more than clumps inside cells. His research helped reveal that they are dynamic organelles with important roles in lipid and energy balance. To determine which proteins localize to these droplets, Ortsman developed a proximity labeling proteomics approach, which uses enzymes to tag proteins near specific cellular structures.

He then built a functional genomics platform to identify genes that alter lipid storage within the droplets. The resulting dataset became a field standard and was openly shared through databases such as: DropletProteome.org and CRISPRLipid.org.

Oltzmann’s discovery goes beyond lipid droplet biology. Recently, his lab discovered ferroptosis inhibitory protein 1 (FSP1), which protects cells from oxidative lipid damage and ferroptosis. The group then showed that FSP1 helps cancer cells resist death and identified potential inhibitors that could sensitize tumors to ferroptosis, opening new possibilities for cancer treatment.

Beyond his scientific influence, Oltzman is known as a leader, collaborator, and advocate for equity and inclusion. At the University of California, Berkeley, she served as the Faculty Equity Chair and co-led the Bridge to Doctoral Program, which created research pathways for students from historically excluded backgrounds.

“[Oltsman]gave me great practical and professional advice that I still use today and pass on to my junior colleagues[principal investigators]who I now teach at UTSW,” W. Mike Henne, an associate professor at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, wrote in a letter of support. “This is one of (Oltsman’s) many strengths. He is absolutely committed to mentoring others and helping others succeed.”

In a letter of support, Ron Kopito, a professor of biology at Stanford University, wrote that Ortsman is “a great example of a scientific leader who is dedicated to advancing cell biology and building a diverse and inclusive scientific community.”

At the 2026 ASBMB Annual Meeting, Ortsmann will present research on how cells maintain lipid quality control, the interconnected processes that prevent, detect, and repair lipid damage to maintain cell function and viability.