Duke University School of Medicine postdoctoral researcher Drew Schreiner, PhD, has been named a 2026 STAT Wunderkind by STAT News for his work understanding how songbirds learn and develop their song. He is one of 28 early-career doctors and researchers in North America honored by the news outlet this year.
The honor recognizes “unheralded heroes of science and medicine” — promising scholars who have not yet launched fully independent careers.
A postdoctoral researcher in the lab of Richard Mooney PhD, in the Duke Departments of Neurobiology, Cell Biology, and the Duke Institute for Brain Sciences, Schreiner works with zebra finches to uncover clues about how the brain learns and what can go wrong in neurological disorders such as Parkinson’s.
“I’m honored to be recognized with such an impressive group of early-career researchers, and excited to see birdsong recognized as a powerful model to understand how the brain learns complex skills like speech and music,” Schreiner said.