Protein & Peptide Science Group Awards

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Nominations for the CEM award are now open and close on 23 May 2024 at 17:00 GMT!

The AstraZeneca Protein and Peptide Science Award

Our 2023 award winner

Professor Dr. Christian Hackenberger, FMP Berlin

Christian receives this award for his ground-breaking work in bioconjugation and protein synthesis and its application to develop cell-permeable antibodies and next-generation biopharmaceuticals against cancer and viral infections. The award also recognises his wider contributions to the scientific community and the RSC including through sitting on the boards of OBC, RSC Chemical Biology and Chemical Science, organising the Chemical Protein Synthesis symposia and a strong commitment to supporting the next generation of researchers.

Past winners of this award

2019

Professor Philip Dawson, The Scripps Research Institute

Phil receives this award for his critical role in the development of native chemical ligation and his ongoing contributions to the development of new resins for the preparation of peptide-thioesters. Phil's examination of unusual peptide backbone chain topologies including protein catenanes, as well as his seminal study of H-bond strengths in beta-sheets rounds out a remarkable series of contributions to peptide and protein science.

2017

Professor Ali Tavassoli, University of Southampton

Ali receives this award for his work on genetically-encoded cyclic peptide libraries and their use for identifying inhibitors of a variety of protein-protein interactions. Ali’s work has resulted in several first-in-class protein-protein interaction inhibitors that are currently being developed towards the clinic. Professor Ali Tavassoli will give the Pleanary Lecture, at the 2018 PPSG Early Stage Researcher Meeting.

2015

Professor David Spring, University of Cambridge

In recent years Prof David Spring has utilised novel strategies in the i, i+7 stapling of α-helical 3.1*8peptide motifs, his two-component approach makes exploration of these factors much simpler than any previous approach. Prof David Spring received his award and gave the Pleanary Lecture, at the PPSG Early Stage Researcher Meeting in autumn 2015.

2013

Dr Ed Tate, Imperial College, London

In recent years Dr Ed Tate has made a significant contribution to chemical approaches for understanding protein post-translational modification, the study of protein-protein interaction inhibitors and the chemical proteomic de novo discovery and validation of drug targets. Dr Ed Tate received his award, and gave the Pleanary Lecture, at the PPSG Early Stage Researcher Meeting in autumn 2013.

2011

Professor Derek Woolfson

MedImmune’s Dr Lutz Jermutus, Senior Director, R&D, and Global Head, Technology, based at Cambridge and Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry (FRSC), was honoured to be asked to present the 2011 Award at the 2011 PPSG Early Stage Researcher Meeting, organised by Dr Alethea Tabor (UCL) at Burlington House in Central London on 8 November 2011.

The award was made to Professor Derek Woolfson, Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the University of Bristol, UK, in respect of his research group’s outstanding work in understanding the rules that govern peptide and protein folding and self-assembly, and their application in nanotechnology and therapy.

Professor Robin Leatherbarrow of Imperial College London, the Chair of the PPSG, said: “The Committee of the PPSG in making this award were impressed by the work of Professor Woolfson and his research group on a number of counts. Most significantly the Committee members were impressed by the potential applications in bio-nanotechnology, and also by their use in aiding understanding of disease states caused by misfolded proteins.”

Dr Lutz Jermutus, presenting the award on behalf of MedImmune, said: “Professor Woolfson’s research, both within the Bristol Research Group and in collaboration with others, has produced significant discoveries and a number of very high-profile publications in just a few years. Through this award, MedImmune is proud to be the recognising achievement of the very highest level in the field of protein and peptide science.”

Receiving the award, Dr Woolfson, said: “I am delighted to accept this award on behalf of all those involved in our work at the University of Bristol and previously at the University of Sussex. In particular, I am pleased that the Royal Society of Chemistry, with its interdisciplinary approach and a strong focus on the practical applications of molecular science in chemistry, biology, and medicine, has chosen to recognise our work in this way.”

CEM Emerging Investigator in Protein and Peptide Science Award

Nominations for this award are now open and close on 23 May 2024 at 17:00 GMT.

This prize is for an outstanding contribution made by an early career scientist working on protein and peptide science.

The award will be presented at the 2024 Protein and Peptide Science Group Early Stage Researcher Meeting held at the University of Edinburgh this autumn
The winner will be the keynote speaker at the PPSG ESRM
The winner will receive a PPSG award plaque, and prize money of £750 inclusive of the costs of attendance at the PPSG ESRM
We anticipate that this prize will be run bi-annually
We will announce the winner here early summer 2024

Guidelines

Find out about eligibility, how to nominate and the selection process.

Nominees should be an early-career scientist, typically with no more than 10 years of full-time equivalent professional experience. This should be experience gained as part of a scientific career excluding time spent in full-time education. Time spent as a postgraduate student should not be included e.g. Masters, PhD. Time spent as a post-doctoral researcher should be included
Nominators will be asked to provide details of the nominee's professional experience, in relation to the above criteria (see below). The Prize Committee will consider this information in relation to the eligibility criteria
Career breaks will be taken into consideration, and applications are particularly encouraged from those whose career has spanned a break due to caring responsibilities or personal circumstances e.g. a period of parental/adoption leave, family commitments, illness, or other exceptional circumstances
Members of the PPSG prize committee are not eligible to apply
Nominees must be members of the RSC PPSG Interest Group
Self-nominations are permitted and encouraged, and the prize is open to nominees based in the UK or internationally

Please email the following information to Dr Corinne Kay (Secretary, PPSG):

Nominee’s name and contact details
An up-to-date CV for the nominee (no longer than one A4 side, 11pt text). This should include a summary of their education and career and a maximum of five relevant publications or patents
Brief details (up to 150 words) of the nominee's professional experience, in relation to the career stage-related eligibility criteria detailed above. Please include details of any career breaks or periods of absence that you feel the judging committee should consider
A short citation describing what the prize should be awarded for. This must be no longer than 250 characters (including spaces) and no longer than one sentence
A supporting statement (up to 750 words) addressing the nominee’s contributions to protein and peptide science
A statement (up to 100 words) describing how the nominee has contributed more broadly to the scientific community
Please do not submit any additional information or references as these will not be considered
The closing date for nominations is 23 May, 17:00 GMT

Please note, the PPSG reserves the right to rescind any prize if there are reasonable grounds to do so. All nominators/nominees will be asked to confirm that to the best of their knowledge, there is no impediment, relating to professional conduct, to their nominee receiving this prize. All prize winners will be asked to sign the RSC’s Code of Conduct Declaration for Recognition.

Our selection committee will base their evaluations on the overall quality of relevant contributions and achievements by nominees, in relation to the selection criteria listed below.

The scientific content of any supporting publications, as described in the supporting statement, is much more important than publication metrics or the identity of the journal in which it is published.

Relevant aspects

The selection committee will consider the following aspects of nominations for this prize:

Originality of research
Impact of research
Quality of publications and/or patents and/or software
Innovation
Professional Standing
Demonstrated leadership and independence
Collaborations and teamwork
Other indicators of esteem indicated by the nominator

The committee will give greater priority to recent work; supporting statements should focus on the nominee's more recent achievements.

Relevant contributions

In an instance where multiple nominees are judged equally meritorious in relation to the above criteria, judging panels have the flexibility to use information provided by the nominator on the nominee’s broader contribution to the chemistry community as an additional criterion.

Examples of relevant contributions could include, but are not limited to:

Involvement with Royal Society of Chemistry member groups/networks
Teaching/demonstrating
Effective mentorship
Service on boards, committees or panels
Leadership in the scientific community
Peer-reviewer
Promotion of diversity and inclusion
Advocacy for chemistry
Public engagement and outreach

The PPSG Prize Committee

All members of the PPSG Committee: Louise Walport (Chair), Laurent Coren, Chris Coxon, Ian Eggleston, Stephen Hoare, Corinne Kay, Louis Luk, Katherine MacFarlane, John Offer, Marina Rubini, Andrew Wilson

For more information about Awards offered by the Protein & Peptide Science Group, please contact the secretary.

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