Dale Boger awarded the Tetrahedron Prize for Creativity in Organic Chemistry
Discoveries from Boger’s lab have led to unique strategies and methods for making molecules, as well as durable antibiotics, novel ways to treat chronic pain, and an experimental cancer vaccine.
September 29, 2020
LA JOLLA, CA — Scripps Research professor and chemist Dale Boger, PhD, has been named the 2020 winner of the prestigious Tetrahedron Prize for Creativity in Organic Chemistry.
Established in 1980 by Elsevier, which publishes the Tetrahedron journal series, the Tetrahedron Prize is presented annually to a chemist who has made significant original contributions to the fields of organic chemistry, medicinal chemistry or chemical biology.
“Throughout my career, the past recipients of this award have always been my heroes in chemistry,” says Boger. “I am humbled to now be among those recipients. It is a wonderful reflection on the accomplishments of the many graduate students, postdoctoral fellows and collaborators who participated in the science that this award recognizes.”
Past recipients of this award include Scripps Research President and Chief Executive Officer Peter Schultz, PhD, who was named last year’s winner (2019).
Boger is internationally recognized for his work in organic synthesis, medicinal chemistry and natural products total synthesis and the biological evaluation of the molecules. He has made seminal contributions to the understanding of DNA-drug interactions and to unraveling the molecular details of the mechanisms of action of naturally-occurring antitumor drugs, as well as to the discovery of new biological targets for potential therapies.
Discoveries in his lab have led to an experimental cancer vaccine that boosts the immune system’s ability to fight tumors. Other work has focused on increasing the potency and durability of antibiotics, as well developing novel pain therapies that won’t have the serious side effects of opioids.
Boger earned his doctoral degree in chemistry from Harvard University. At Scripps Research, he is the Richard and Alice Cramer Professor of Chemistry, and served as Chair of the Department of Chemistry from 2012-2018. Boger has been the recipient of several prestigious awards that span over 40 years of work. Among these many honors, Boger is a fellow of the American Chemical Society, a fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry and an elected member of the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Inventors and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Alongside his academic success, Boger co-founded the clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company Abide Therapeutics with Scripps Research professor Benjamin Cravatt, PhD. Abide was acquired by Danish pharmaceutical firm H. Lundbeck A/S in 2019.
The Tetrahedron Prize consists of a gold medal, a certificate and a monetary award of $15,000. The award presentation will take place during the 2021 Fall National Meeting of the American Chemical Society in Atlanta, August 2021. The winners also contribute an article to be featured in the journal Tetrahedron as part of a special issue compiled in their honor.
For more information, contact press@scripps.edu