Paulo Almeida, professor in the UNCW Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, is the recipient of a Research Corporation for Science Advancement (RCSA) Cottrell Plus SEED Award for 2024, according to a news release.

The release stated that he is among 11 researchers to receive the competitive SEED (Singular Exceptional Endeavors of Discovery) Award, designed to support members of the Cottrell Scholar community in high-impact research activities with an award of $60,000. Almeida's award is in the Exceptional Opportunities category. 

According to the release, the award will support Almeida’s research proposal, “Quantitative Approach to Peptide-Lipid Interactions in Membranes,” which proposes lipid variety in biological membranes stems from the different molecular interactions between lipids and the α-helical segments of membrane proteins. 

The RCSA, the nation’s oldest science-supporting foundation, has previously supported Almeida’s research on biological membranes with awards in 2004 and 2008. He was named a Cottrell Scholar in 2023, an award that honors outstanding teacher-scholars who engage in innovative activities to enhance their teaching and research programs. 

“I have been very fortunate with the students who have worked with me in research,” Almeida stated in the release. “To see them develop and follow their own path has been the most rewarding of awards.”