Prof. Adri Minnaard receives RSC Chemistry Biology Interface Horizon Prize with Lipidomics team
With the ‘Lipidomics Team’, Prof. Adri Minnaard has been named winner of the Chemistry Biology Interface Horizon Prize of the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC). The team receives the prize for their research on tests and vaccines against tuberculosis. The prize celebrates discoveries and innovations that push the boundaries of science in the field of chemical biology.
The international team has won this prize for developing a platform that combines chemical synthesis, bioinformatics and human immunology with the aim to fight tuberculosis and other infectious diseases. Previously, the team received the Ammodo Science Award for Fundamental Research and the NWO Team Science Award.
Towards a globally applicable vaccine
The Lipidomics team developed a strategy to discover new molecules in tuberculosis bacteria and demonstrated that these bacteria survive in immune cells by producing an antacid molecule that prevents them from being killed. This enables new therapeutic and diagnostic strategies. Other new tuberculosis bacterial molecules turn out to activate the human immune system and therefore support the development of a world-wide applicable vaccine. An important development, since there are currently no effective vaccines and rapid diagnostic tests for tuberculosis: the deadliest bacterial infectious disease worldwide.
Recognition for the entire team
Minnaard: It is a recognition for the many collaborators with whom we work so fruitfully.
The group, a collaboration of research teams from the Brigham and Women's Hospital at Harvard and the University of Groningen, which also collaborated with many other scientists around the world, will receive a trophy. Each team member will also receive their own special individual token. To help others learn from their experiences, a video will be made, showing the fruits of their work. Minnaard is excited about receiving the award: ‘It is a recognition for the many collaborators with whom we work so fruitfully.’
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| Last modified: | 26 June 2025 12.47 p.m. |
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