Two top scientific organizations, the Czech Chemical Society and the Ioannes Marcus Marci Spectroscopic Society in the Czech Republic have honoured Brock University chemists Tomas Hudlicky and Ian Brindle, respectively, with recognitions for their work.
Pictured above Ian Brindle (left) and Tomas Hudlicky
The Czech Chemical Society awarded chemist Hudlicky with the Hanuš Memorial Medal, the society’s highest acknowledgment for scientific achievements.
“Professor Hudlicky has demonstrated a strong commitment to hosting Czech chemists over the years both at Brock University, as well as the University of Florida and Virginia Polytechnic and State University,” says the nomination letter.
“All of these chemists are highly successful professionals who have made significant contributions to many publications from the Hudlicky’s group,” says the letter, noting that quite recently several Czech postdoctoral fellows at Brock were involved “in developing valuable intellectual property that has led to the generation of a significant number of licensing payments.”
“Of course I am happy to receive this award,” says Hudlicky, who is a Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Organic Synthesis and Biocatalysis (the use of biological methods to manufacture chemicals).
This follows on Hudlicky’s receipt of the Canadian Society for Chemistry’s 2014 R.U. Lemieux Award, the highest Canadian award for an organic chemist.
Hudlicky and his research group focus on converting compounds that are often considered to be industrial waste into compounds that can be used in pain and cancer medicines. Specifically, the researchers create synthetic versions of morphine and derivatives, Tamiflu-like drugs, and pancratistatin, a powerful anti-cancer agent.
The Ioannes Marcus Marci Spectroscopic Society – consisting of scientific, educational and professional technical workers in spectroscopy – recognized Brindle for his work in the field.
“It is my pleasure to announce you that you have been awarded the Ioannes Marcus Marci Medal for your outstanding achievements in analytical chemistry in domain of spectroscopic methods,” Viktor Kanicky, Chairman of the Ioannes Marcus Marci Spectroscopic Society said in a letter. “Please accept my sincere congratulations.”
“It is an honour to join some of the world’s greatest analytical and spectroscopic scientists, including the Canadian Nobel Prize winner, Gerhard Herzberg, in receiving this award,” says Brindle.
Brindle is currently developing technology that dramatically speeds up mineral and ore analysis while reducing its impact on the environment, saving the mining industry time and money.
He is also working with Environment Canada and the Ontario Ministry of the Environment, studying the accumulation and distribution of dioxins/furans, halogenated flame-retardants, and other persistent organic pollutants in the Great Lakes watersheds.
Brindle is scheduled to deliver a lecture at Masaryk University in Brno, in the Czech Republic on May 14, as part of the award ceremony, while the Hanuš Medal will be awarded to Hudlicky at Charles University in Prague on May 18.
Both Brindle and Hudlicky are members of Brock’s Advanced Biomanufacturing Centre. Through partnerships with the centre’s chemists and plant biologists, the University develops research into innovative products and services that are of interest to agricultural, biotechnology, and companies with interests in fabrication of corrosion-resistant steel.
