2026 Catalyst Award recipient for the Outstanding St. Louis Scientists Awards
Guided by a conviction that science can improve agricultural challenges, Meredith Sigman, Ph.D., has become a transformative force in plant biotechnology. As a Gene Expression Liaison at Bayer, she combines scientific expertise with communication and a clear vision for advancing global food security.
Since 2021, her notable contributions at Bayer include an automated workflow that characterizes novel traits at the RNA expression level, accelerating analysis and enabling data-driven decisions at an earlier time point within the Plant Biotech portfolio. She works in the Gene Expression Team to develop strategies and technologies for engineering transgene expression. This work paves the way for the next generation of improved crops with enhanced control and precise expression. During her doctoral studies, she was a visiting graduate student at the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, and her team won the Big Ideas 2.0 competition in 2019.
Additionally, Sigman leads Bayer’s Innovation Unlocked Source Team, part of an initiative that advances breakthrough ideas across the Plant Biotech organization. Under her leadership, it has moved promising concepts into Bayer’s pipeline and strengthened a culture of curiosity and collaboration.
As the incoming lead for Bayer’s B4U Mentoring Program Talent and Development Pillar, Sigman mentors early-career researchers as they refine skills, expand networks and turn discovery into real-world impact. Additionally, she volunteered with the American Society of Plant Biologists Program Committee.
Sigman advances scientific discovery and application with clarity to deepen broader understanding, strengthen global food systems and develop sustainable solutions that expand the reach of plant science worldwide.