ACS NEWS
AWARDS
▸ Richard Holm and Stephen Lippard to share Welch Award
CREDIT: TEKMIRA (SOFIA); DAVE ROSSMAN (WELCH AWARDS)
For their influential work in inorganic and bioinorganic chemistry, Richard H. Holm of Harvard University and Stephen J. Lippard of Massachusetts Institute of Technology have been awarded the 2016 Robert A. Welch Award in Chemistry. They will share the $500,000 prize, which recognizes important research contributions that have had a significant and positive impact on humankind. “Steve Lippard and Dick Holm are pioneers in the field of bioinorganic chemistry,” said Peter B. Dervan, chair of the Welch Foundation’s scientific advisory board. “They have revealed the crucial role of metals in biology and human medicine, as well as inspired and mentored the next generation of researchers.” Holm, who is the Higgins Emeritus Professor of Chemistry at Harvard University, has developed a rational approach to synthesis of biomimetic low molecular
Charles W. Tate (top left), chair and director of the Welch Foundation Board of Directors, awarded the medals to Holm (front) and Lippard.
2016 Lasker Award recipients named Michael J. Sofia, chief scientific officer at Arbutus Biopharma, shared the 2016 Lasker-DeBakey Clinical Medical Research Award with Ralf F. W. Bartenschlager of the University of Heidelberg and Charles M. Rice of Rockefeller University. The scientists were honored for their development of a system to study the replication of the virus that causes hepatitis C and for using the system to revolutionize the treatment of the disease. The Lasker Awards honor accomplishments in basic and clinical medical research and special achievement. The awards carry an honorarium of $250,000 for each category and are shared equally among the recipients of each award. Many Lasker laureates have gone on to win the Nobel Prize. “When one gets the opportunity to meet patients whose lives have been transformed by a drug that you have helped create and to hear their stories of lifelong struggle and ultimate triumph, that provides motivation enough to want to keep on trying to make a difference,” says Sofia, who discovered the compound sofosbuvir, which led to the hepatitis C virus drug Sovaldi. “It should be noted that the discovery and development of a drug such as sofosbuvir cannot be done by one individual. It takes the hard work of many individuals to take an idea and make it a reality for patients. I am honored and humbled to be able to represent all of those dedicated scientists who have been part of this incredible success story.” In addition, William G. Kaelin Jr., Peter J. Ratcliffe, and Gregg L. Semenza were awarded the 2016 Albert Lasker Basic Medical Research Award for the discovery of the pathway by which cells from humans and most animals sense and adapt to changes in oxygen availability, a process essential for survival. And Bruce M. Alberts is the recipient of the 2016 Lasker-Koshland Special Achievement Award in Medical Science for fundamental discoveries in DNA replication and protein biochemistry, for visionary leadership in directing national and international scientific organizations to better people’s lives, and for passionate dedication to improving education in science and mathematics. “The 2016 Lasker winners combined exceptional insight, creativity, and perseverance in pursuing crucial questions in medical science,” said Joseph L. Goldstein, chair of the Lasker Medical Research Awards jury. The awards were presented on Sept. 23 in New York City.—LINDA WANG
weight complexes that duplicate biological iron-sulfur centers and has created the chemical and intellectual framework for understanding their function. He earned a B.S. in chemistry from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and a Ph.D. in chemistry from MIT. Lippard, who is the Arthur Amos Noyes Professor of Chemistry at MIT, is researching the role of metal ions in biological systems, allowing a clearer understanding of the mechanism and basis of cytotoxicity of the platinum anticancer drug cisplatin. “I have deep personal interests in providing drug candidates for treating cancer and for understanding chemical reactions that drive brain function, which, when disrupted, can have devastating consequences,” he says. “It is my hope that our science
might contribute in some small measure to achieving these goals.” Lippard earned a B.S. in chemistry from Haverford College and a Ph.D. in chemistry from MIT. Other awards include the 2004 National Medal of Science and the 2014 ACS Priestley Medal. Lippard notes that his recognitions are “a testimony to the creative talents and discoveries of the many graduate students and postdoctoral research associates who have worked in my laboratories over a period of 50 years.” Holm and Lippard were honored at the Welch Award Banquet on Oct. 24.—
LINDA WANG Announcements of awards may be sent to
[email protected]. NOVEMBER 14, 2016 | CEN.ACS.ORG | C&EN
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