Fernando Albericio, has been granted with the Vincent du Vigneaud Award by the American Peptide Society
This award recognizes the scientific excellence in the field of peptides chemistry. Albericio is managing director at the PCB and principal investigator at IRB Barcelona.
BY BIOCAT
The American Peptide Society has awarded the prize Du Vigneaud Adward 2011 to Fernando Albericio, managing director of the Barcelona Science Park (PCB), principal investigator at the Institute of Biomedical Research (IRB Barcelona) and professor of organic chemistry at the University of Barcelona (UB).
The Du Vigneaud Adward was created by the American Peptide Society in 1984, in memory of the scientist who won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1955 for his studies around the sulphur union, core in the synthesis of the first polypeptide hormone. The purpose of this award is, then, to recognize scientific excellence in the field of peptide chemistry. The Association has at present about 1,000 members from over 30 different countries.
During the prize delivery act, within the 22nd American Peptide Symposium, which took place last 30th June in San Diego (California, USA), Greg Fields, president of the American Peptide Society emphasized “Fernando Albericio’s leadership in the development and optimization of peptide synthesis methodologies". Besides, Alex Fässler, president of the company Bachem, sponsor of the award, remarked that “the creativity and imagination of the chemistry developed by Fernando Albericio is benefiting the entire scientific community as it is allowing the synthesis of peptides that have been unachievable until now.”
Fernando Albericio combines his post at the PCB as managing director with his tasks as principal investigator at IRB Barcelona and also as teacher at the University of Barcelona. His area of research covers virtually all aspects all aspects concerning the synthesis of natural products, mainly peptides and heterocyclic molecules of marine origin with therapeutic activity. He has published over 600 scientific articles, 42 patents and three books. He is actively involved in one of the main missions defined by the university: knowledge and technology transfer to society. He has participated in the set up of several biotech enterprises and serves on the executive boards of a number of foundations. He also provides consultancy services to various companies operating in the chemical and pharmaceutical sectors. He has recently been honoured with a Doctorate Honoris Causa by the University of Buenos Aires (Argentina).