Scripps Research professor Chi-Huey Wong to receive ACS Alfred Bader Award

LA JOLLA, CA—In recognition of his exceptional work to understand the chemistry of carbohydrates and the role they play in health and disease, Scripps Family Chair Professor Chi-Huey Wong of Scripps Research will receive the 2027 Alfred Bader Award in Bioinorganic or Bioorganic Chemistry.

This $5,000 award is supported by an endowed fund established in 1986 by Alfred R. Bader and Isabel Bader. It’s one of numerous American Chemical Society (ACS) National Awards issued in the coming year, which collectively aim to advance chemistry by supporting chemical research and scientists’ careers. Award winners are invited to a banquet and ceremony, taking place in March 2027 during the ACS Spring meeting in New Orleans.

In his lab, Wong uses bioorganic and synthetic chemistry techniques to understand the many roles of carbohydrates, including chains of sugars. His team specifically studies how the attachment of different carbohydrates to proteins can alter protein structure and function—and what implications this process has for human health, especially in cancer and infectious diseases. By developing new methods to build different types of carbohydrate-containing molecules, his lab establishes foundational knowledge to inform the development of new medicines and vaccines.

This is one of many honors recognizing Wong’s contributions to chemistry, most recently including the Kirkwood Medal from the Yale Chemistry Department. Other recognitions include the Wolf Prize in Chemistry, the Tetrahedron Prize for Creativity in Organic Synthesis, the ACS Arthur C. Cope Award, the American Institute of Chemists Chemical Pioneer Award, the Royal Society of Chemistry Robert Robinson Award, and the Robert A. Welch Award in Chemistry.