The Prize has been established by a generous gift from the Chemical Works of Gedeon Richter, Plc.  (Budapest, Hungary) to acknowledge the key role that medicinal chemistry plays toward improving human health.

Applicants should be received by NOMINATION only, with just one person needing to serve in that capacity, although a total of five (5) individuals should be listed as referees overall. The package must be submitted electronically and should contain a complete resume, a professional biography of not more than two pages, and a one-page summary of what the individual considers to be their activities, accomplishments and/or publications that have had the most significant impact upon the field of Medicinal Chemistry. The material will be forwarded confidentially to an independent selection committee appointed by the IUPAC Subcommittee on Medicinal Chemistry and Drug Development.

For further information please contact Prof. Janos Fischer, Member of the IUPAC Sub-committee on Drug Discovery and Development, by email at fischer-ext@gedeonrichter.com

How did you get interested in Medicinal Chemistry?

I would describe my interest in medicinal chemistry as a journey. I have always been curious about science, a passion stimulated by my father Demetrio, a naval engineer with a deep love for physics and mathematics.

However, after high school, I was not sure which direction to take, and I even considered programs as different as Biological Sciences, Veterinary Medicine, and Graphic Design. At the very last minute, I discovered the degree course in Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Technology and decided to give it a try. I realized right away that it was the right choice for me.

During my university studies and later throughout my PhD, I met inspiring professors who introduced me first to the potential of small molecules in fighting disease, and then to the fascinating world of computational medicinal chemistry. That is when I truly fell in love with the discipline.

The people we meet along the way can deeply influence our interests and the choices we make, and that has certainly been true in my case.

Where did you have your postdoc position?

I initially carried out a two-year postdoctoral fellowship between the University of Messina and the University of Bari, both based in Italy, working in the research groups of Professors Alba Chimirri and Angelo Carotti, respectively.

Subsequently, I completed a one-and-a-half-year experience at the University of Houston, Texas, under the supervision of Professor James M. Briggs. There, my research focused on using molecular dynamics simulations to investigate resistance-related mutations that affect the efficacy of HIV integrase inhibitors.

What are your current research interests?

I have many! I am naturally a curious and creative person, and these characteristics shape the work we do in my lab. Broadly speaking, our research falls into two main areas.

On one side, we focus on the rational discovery of small bioactive molecules targeting proteins involved in various human diseases, including cancer, neurodegenerative disorders, antimicrobial resistance, and rare diseases. For the latter, we are applying an innovative drug discovery strategy that leverages protein folding interference as a new therapeutic modality to address undruggable or difficult-to-drug targets by promoting their physiological degradation. This approach implements a drugging paradigm called PPI-FIT (Pharmacological Protein Inactivation by Folding Intermediate Targeting), currently exploited by Sibylla Biotech, a company I co-founded. Specifically, we are currently applying PPI-FIT to two different targets: the prion protein, originally studied in an academic context, and a mutant form of AKT1 (E17K), which is implicated not only in cancer but also in a rare pediatric condition called Proteus syndrome. In this latter case, the research is part of a joint effort with the company to explore new therapeutic opportunities. 

And given the curiosity I mentioned earlier, our interests have recently extended beyond human health, and we have opened a new research line in precision agrochemical discovery, applying similar rational strategies to target plant disease proteins.

On the other side, we are developing computational tools to improve chemical and biological datasets by enriching them with curated data and information automatically extracted from patents. This is crucial to ensure data quality and completeness, which are both key to reliable predictions and successful drug discovery efforts.

What do you like best about your work?

What I love most is its dynamism, which aligns perfectly with my enthusiastic and tireless nature. I constantly shift between different roles depending on the situation: I’m a researcher, a teacher, a mentor, a manager. That variety keeps things exciting and always gives me the chance to learn something new. 

I also really value the connection with students, both in my lab and through teaching. It is a two-way exchange that I find incredibly enriching. Watching former students grow, find their path, and stay passionate about what they do is one of the most rewarding parts of my job.

What kind of tasks does your work involve?

The tasks I handle are quite diverse and often shift throughout the same day.

I work closely with members of my lab to plan experiments and analyze data, teach, write articles, and interact with collaborators from other disciplines to coordinate our joint research. I am currently supervising two PhD students working on projects co-funded by companies, one by Innovatune Srl and the other by Sibylla Biotech SpA., so part of my responsibilities includes regular interaction with the industrial partners.

In addition to internal mentoring activities, I have been part of the EFMC-YSN Mentoring Programme since 2021, supporting my mentee through scheduled meetings or whenever they need guidance. 

My work also includes strategic tasks such as applying for funding, managing research projects, starting (and when needed, discontinuing) research lines, and building collaborative networks.

And finally, as a university professor, I am involved in a range of administrative and institutional activities.

What kind of skills does your work require?

Aside from scientific and technical expertise, you need to be flexible and well-organized, as the days are always intense and constantly changing. Curiosity, creativity, and resilience are essential skills in our field, but so is the ability to communicate clearly, whether you are working with students, collaborators, or writing a grant. Leadership plays a key role too. It is not just about giving direction, but about inspiring others, building a shared vision, and keeping the team motivated, even when things get challenging. And of course, you need plenty of energy to keep everything moving forward!

How many PhD students and postdocs do you currently supervise?

At the moment, I’m supervising two PhD students and one postdoc in my group. As I mentioned earlier, both PhD students are co-funded by industry partners, which allows them to work on cutting-edge projects at the intersection of academic research and industrial innovation. Thanks to this setting, they can develop not only strong scientific and technical skills, but also a deeper understanding of how research translates into real-world applications, something I consider essential for their future careers.

How would you describe yourself as a supervisor?

This is probably a question my team would be better suited to answer!
That said, I believe the role of a supervisor is important, not only during the time a student or a postdoc spends in the lab, but also afterwards. The experience they gain during those years often shapes their future path, both professionally and personally.

To me, a good supervisor should offer more than just scientific guidance. It is also about transmitting passion, dedication, integrity and the resilience needed to navigate the ups and downs of research.

I try to be supportive and encouraging, but also clear and firm when needed. And above all, I believe in leading by example: how we handle challenges, stay motivated, celebrate achievements, and work together as a team often teaches more than any formal lesson. 

What are your recommendations for a book, podcast, website, blog, YouTube channel or film?

I would suggest three must-read blogs: In the Pipeline by Derek Lowe (https://www.science.org/blogs/pipeline), Practical Fragments by Dan Erlanson (https://practicalfragments.blogspot.com/), and Practical Cheminformatics by Pat Walters (https://patwalters.github.io/). Each offers sharp insights into drug discovery from a different and valuable perspective. 

As a website, the EFMC Best Practices in Medicinal Chemistry (https://www.efmc.info/best-practices) is a great resource, offering expert guidance on key topics in drug discovery. DrugHunter.com is also excellent for staying updated on real-world case studies and molecules in development. 

For books, I recommend Drug Hunters by Donald R. Kirsch and Ogi Ogas, a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at the history and challenges of drug discovery, and Medicinal Chemistry for Practitioners by Jie Jack Li, which starts with basic principles and then moves on to practical applications in modern drug design. 

And for films, The Imitation Game and Hidden Figures are both inspiring, as they remind us that behind major scientific and technological breakthroughs there are often untold stories of brilliance, courage, and resilience.

Which field of medicinal chemistry do you consider the most promising for the future?

I see targeted protein degradation (TPD) as one of the most promising and transformative directions in modern drug discovery. While PROTACs are already in the clinical development, there is still plenty of room for innovation, not just in improving existing approaches, but also in exploring entirely new modalities, such as small molecules that interfere with protein folding, as I mentioned earlier. This is a field where creativity is essential, both in envisioning new strategies and in molecular design, and where artificial intelligence will increasingly support and accelerate progress.

Meetings

SMR organises four high quality, one-day scientific meetings each year focussed on the discovery and development of new medicines. The meetings are usually held either in Central London or at the sites of pharmaceutical companies across the UK. At least one of these meetings is devoted to a specific therapeutic area and another to medicinal chemistry, while the rest cover the widest possible aspects of Drug Discovery. In 2025, SMR has already organised a meeting on molecular glues and a meeting on women’s health, while two more conferences are planned for the rest of year:

• Target Identification and Validation in Drug Discovery
  (October 24, AstraZeneca, The Discovery Centre - DISC, Cambridge Biomedical Campus)
• Recent Clinical Candidates and SMR Award meeting
  (December 4, Friends House, London)

SMR recognises the importance of equality and diversity both within the committee and at meetings. We therefore endeavour to organise meetings with speakers that represent the diverse community we serve, and to make these meetings accessible to the broadest audience using hybrid formats, where possible, and by providing bursaries to students.

SMR Award

We believe that outstanding contributions, achievements and inventions in the world of drug discovery and development should be recognised and celebrated. To achieve this goal the SMR instigated its own symbol of recognition, the SMR Award for Drug Discovery. Recipients are individual scientists, or teams of scientists, duly acknowledged for their contribution by the scientific community. The multidisciplinary nature of the achievement is inherent in this award. With members from all disciplines of drug research, we are proud to recognise the successes of others in order to help the individuals and their host institution gain the reward and acclaim they deserve from within the pharmaceutical world.

To learn more about SMR, you can visit our website here, and follow us on LinkedIn and BlueSky.

Chemically induced proximity (CIP) is a powerful concept rapidly reshaping the landscape of chemical biology and drug discovery. In CIP, a bifunctional molecule or a molecular glue brings two or more biomolecules into close spatial proximity to selectively modulate protein function, resulting in proximity-induced pharmacology. CIP between suitable effectors and target proteins may lead to diverse outcomes, including degradation, stabilisation, inhibition, or activation of the targeted protein. 

One of the most successful applications of this strategy is in targeted protein degradation (TPD), in which a monovalent molecular glue degrader (MGD) or bivalent conjugate such as a proteolysis targeting chimera (PROTAC) mediates a ternary complex between a degradation pathway effector protein and a protein of interest (POI), directing the latter to degradation. However, the narrow set of exploitable effector proteins and ligand binding sites currently limits the scope for improved selectivity, overcoming drug resistance, and access to a broader range of disease-relevant induced proximity mechanisms beyond TPD.

Z. Xiao et al. report the first universal strategy to precisely and site-specifically induce protein-protein proximity to identify “PROTACable” sites on any potential effector protein in live cells. Their approach, called “Site-specific Ligand Incorporation-induced Proximity” or SLIP, uses genetic code expansion to encode an unnatural amino acid for copper-free “click” ligand ligation at a specific effector site in intact cells. This enables the in-situ formation of a covalent PROTAC-effector conjugate against a target protein of interest. Modification at actionable effector sites drives degradation of the targeted protein, establishing the potential of these sites for TPD.

Using SLIP, the authors systematically screened dozens of sites across E3 ligases and E2 enzymes from diverse classes, identifying multiple novel potentially “PROTACable” effector sites which are competent for TPD. 

SLIP adds a powerful approach to the proximity-induced pharmacology toolbox, allowing future effector ligand discovery to fully enable TPD, as well as other emerging modalities.

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