The American Peptide Society has granted the Du Vigneaud Adward 2011 to Fernando Albericio, Director General of the Barcelona Science Park, group leader at the IRB Barcelona and full professor of Organic Chemistry at the University of Barcelona. Founded back in 1984m, the aim of this ward is to recognise scientific excellence in the field of peptide chemistry.

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During the award-granting event –which took place as part of the 22nd American Peptide Symposium on 30 June in San Diego (Califòrnia)– Greg Fields, president of the American Peptide Society emphasised “Fernando Albericio´s leadership in the development and optimisation of peptide synthesis methodologies” and Alex Fässler, president of Bachem, the award sponsoring company, highlighted that “the creativity and imagination put into the chemistry developed by Fernando Albericio is benefitting the entire scientific community is benefiting the entire scientific community as it is allowing the synthesis of peptides that have been unachievable until now.”

Fernando Albericio combines his duties as general director of the Barcelona Science Park and as principal investigator at the IRB Barcelona and also lectures as full professor at the University of Barcelona.

Albericio’s research field covers virtually all aspects concerning the synthesis of natural products, mainly peptides and heterocyclic molecules of marine origin with therapeutic activity. He has published more than 600 scientific articles, 42 patents and three 3 books and is actively involved in one of the three main missions of the University: namely 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 chemical and pharmaceutical companies. He was recently named doctor honoris causa by the University of Buenos Aires.

Founded in 1990, the American Peptide Society (APS) is a non-profit scientific organization with the mission to further knowledge about the chemistry and peptide biology. This organization is currently a member of the Federation of Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB) and has more than 1,000 member bodies from over 30 countries worldwide. The Du Vigneaud Award was established by the APS in 1984 in memory of the scientist who won the 1955 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his research on the binding of sulphur, a key element in the synthesis of the first polypeptide hormone.