Bernard Belleau Award

Sponsored by Paraza Pharma Inc.

The Bernard Belleau Award is presented to a scientist residing in Canada who has made a distinguished contribution to the field of medicinal chemistry through research involving biochemical or organic chemical mechanisms.

View the Terms of Reference and list of Past Winners

The 2024 winner of the Bernard Belleau Award is:

Derek A. Pratt, MCIC
University of Ottawa

Derek is an Ottawa native and attended Carleton University, from which he graduated with Highest Honours in Chemistry in 1999. A life-changing experience as an undergraduate researcher with Dr. Keith Ingold motivated his pursuit of a career in research. Supported by NSERC, he attended Vanderbilt University for his Ph.D. studies under the supervision of Professor Ned Porter. He then carried out post-doctoral research at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with Professor Wilfred van der Donk, where he was supported by a Jane Coffin Childs Fellowship. Excited to return to Canada, Derek began his independent career in 2005 at Queen’s University as Canada Research Chair in Free Radical Chemistry, which he renewed following his recruitment to the University of Ottawa in 2010. He was promoted to Full Professor in 2016 and became a University Research Chair in 2021. His contributions to organic and bio-organic chemistry have garnered many awards, including the inaugural Keith Fagnou award of the CSC and the Bessel prize of the Alexander von Humboldt foundation. In addition to his academic duties, Derek is the scientific co-founder and head of chemistry of Prothegen Inc., which develops therapeutics based on the modulation of ferroptotic cell death. Derek currently serves as a member of NSERC’s Chemistry Evaluation Group and is an Associate Editor for Science Advances, the open-access extension of Science magazine.

Website

Past Winners