Of Note

Benjamin Cravatt Named 2017 Winner of the Robert M. Scarborough Award

Benjamin Cravatt, professor at The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) and co-chair of the TSRI Department of Molecular Medicine, has been selected by the Medicinal Chemistry Division of the American Chemical Society (ACS) as the 2017 winner of the Robert M. Scarborough Award for Excellence in Medicinal Chemistry.

Cravatt’s research uses chemical biology and proteomic methods to elucidate the functions of biochemical pathways in human physiology and disease. This knowledge is then used to develop selective chemical probes to control the function of these pathways and to serve as leads for novel therapeutics.

“Professor Cravatt’s research has combined innovative technology development and basic discovery to achieve remarkable advances in our understanding of enzyme function in biological systems,” said Dale Boger, Richard and Alice Cramer Professor of Chemistry and co-chair of the TSRI Department of Chemistry. “His research has not only enriched our understanding of the role that enzymes play in mammalian physiology and disease, and led to the development of drug candidates that are under current clinical investigation for the treatment of human disorders, but it has changed the everyday workflow of traditional medicinal chemistry and chemical biology. It is terrific that this has been recognized with his receipt of the ACS Robert M. Scarborough Award for Excellence in Medicinal Chemistry.”

Named in memory of Robert M. Scarborough, medicinal chemist and inventor of the drugs Natrecor® and Integrilin®, this distinction is intended to recognize those who have had leading roles in the discovery of novel therapeutic agents, as well as those who have made significant scientific discoveries that enhance the field of medicinal chemistry. Cravatt will present his research at the Fall ACS National Meeting, where he will receive a commemorative plaque and honorarium.

For more information on Cravatt’s work, please visit his faculty webpage and lab website.

Send comments to: press[at]scripps.edu

Benjamin Cravatt, professor at The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) and co-chair of the TSRI Department of Molecular Medicine. (Photo by BioMedical Graphics.)

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Of Note

Benjamin Cravatt Named 2017 Winner of the Robert M. Scarborough Award