This prize adds to the prestigious list of accolades received this year, including the Enrique Moles National Research Prize and the Rei Jaume I Prize for Basic Research.

Prof. Antonio M. Echavarren, senior group leader at ICIQ and scientific director of the Severo Ochoa Programme at the institute won the Pedler Award 2023 by the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) for pioneering contributions to the field of organic chemistry employing gold catalysis.

The Pedler Award, chosen by the RSC’s Organic Division Awards Committee is presented to outstanding scientists who have made a significant advancement in synthetic organic chemistry. Prof. Antonio Echavarren’s pioneering research in gold catalysis has opened up new avenues a new reactivity of gold that can be easily applied for the construction of complex organic molecules of relevance in biology or materials science.

After receiving the prize, Professor Echavarren said: “I am humbled and grateful for this prestigious recognition which highlights the dedication and efforts throughout my scientific career. It is a true privilege to be a part of such an inspiring scientific community and I extend my heartfelt appreciation to all those who have contributed to my success”.

To celebrate this distinguished honor, Prof. Echavarren will embark on a UK Lecture tour, where he will share his insights and research findings with fellow scientists, researchers and students. The tour will provide a unique opportunity for the scientific community to engage with Prof. Echavarren and learn from his groundbreaking work.

The scientist joined a prestigious list of past winners in the RSC’s prize portfolio, 60 of whom have gone on to win Nobel Prizes for their work, including 2022 Nobel laureate Carolyn Bertozzi and 2019 Nobel laureate John B Goodenough. Professor Echavarren also receives £3,000 and a medal.

Dr. Helen Pain, Chief Executive of the Royal Society of Chemistry, said: “The chemical sciences are at the forefront of tackling a range of challenges facing our world. From fundamental chemistry to cutting-edge innovations, the work that chemical scientists do has an important role to play in building our future.”

In addition to this remarkable achievement, Prof. Echavarren is renowned for his dedication to mentorship and the development of young scientists. His guidance has shaped the next generation of leaders in organic chemistry.

The awardee

Prof. Antonio M. Echavarren is recognized for his outstanding contributions to the field of catalysis, particularly in gold-catalyzed reactions. With an extensive internationally recognized career, Prof. Echavarren has received numerous awards, highlighting among others, the Janssen-Cylag Prize in Organic Chemistry (2004), the Gold Medal of the Royal Spanish Society of Chemistry (RSEQ) (2010), the Arthur C. Cope Scholar Award of the American Chemical Society (2015) and the last Enrique Moles National Research Award (2022) and Rei Jaume I Award in Basic Research (2023) . In addition, he has obtained 2 ERC Advanced Grants, is a member of the editorial board of prestigious scientific journals, Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry, member of the European Academy and President of the RSEQ.