UEA chemist wins Royal Society of Chemistry Award
By: News Archive
A chemist from the University of East Anglia (UEA) has won a prestigious award from the Royal Society of Chemistry for his research into infection and antibiotics.
Nick Le Brun, who is Professor of Biological Chemistry at UEA scooped the Royal Society of Chemistry Joseph Chatt Award which is for outstanding research into inorganic chemistry and biochemistry.
The scientist is working towards understanding how single cell organisms such as bacteria sense their environment and respond to changes such as a lack of nutrients. This adaptability is key to their survival and ability to establish infection, and so this research may uncover targets for the development of novel antibiotics.
Winners are recognised for the originality and impact of their research, or for their contributions to the chemical sciences industry or chemistry education. The awards also acknowledge the importance of teamwork across the chemical sciences, and the abilities of individuals to develop successful collaborations.
He said: “I am delighted to receive the Joseph Chatt Award from the Royal Society of Chemistry. It is a great honour to be recognised in this way, particularly in view of the calibre of previous winners. I owe a sincere debt of thanks to current and previous members of my research group, and to my collaborators and colleagues. I’ve had a lot of fun along the way and I look forward to much more in the future.”
The award was open to nominees based in the UK or internationally and Professor Le Brun will receive £2000, a medal, and the chance to complete a lecture tour at universities across the UK.
Dr Robert Parker, Chief Executive of the Royal Society of Chemistry, said: “The chemical sciences are vital for the wellbeing of our world and chemical scientists help to change people’s lives for the better. That’s why we’re so proud to celebrate the innovation and expertise of our community through our Prizes and Awards.
“This year’s inspiring and influential winners come from a range of specialisms, backgrounds, countries and communities. Each has done their bit to advance excellence in the chemical sciences – to improve the lives of people around the world now and in the future.”
Previous winners of the Royal Society of Chemistry’s Awards have gone on to win Nobel Prizes for their pioneering work, including 2016 Nobel laureates Jean-Pierre Sauvage, Fraser Stoddart and Ben Feringa.
Related Articles
Nurses worldwide rely on intuition to triage patients
Nurses around the world use intuition to work out how sick a patient is before triaging for treatment according to new research from the University of East Anglia.
Read more
UEA nursing apprentice’s sky-high dive for Alzheimer's and Dementia awareness
On Sunday 24 September, University of East Anglia (UEA) nursing apprentice Francessca Turrell will be taking part in a charity skydive for Alzheimers Society, a UK care and research charity for people with dementia and their carers.
Read more
New book to focus on Norwich’s medieval logos
Logo Rewind: Trademarks of Medieval Norwich is a new book from UEA Publishing Project, in collaboration with CreativeUEA and featuring the work of Darren Leader, which will focus on the stories of Norwichs medieval merchants marks found in different locat
Read more