Introduction 

Professor Tu Youyou was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2015 for her groundbreaking work in the discovery of artemisinin, a drug that has significantly reduced the mortality rates for patients suffering from malaria.

Artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs), which incorporate artemisinin and other antimalarial drugs, are now the standard treatment for malaria recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO). Tu Youyou's work has had a profound impact on global health, particularly in regions where malaria is endemic.

In 2009, after years of studying the research of Artemisinin conducted by Professor Tu Youyou’s group, Dr. Shu-Kun Lin, the founder of MDPI, published a Special Issue in the MDPI journal Molecules for celebrating Professor Tu Youyou’s 80th birthday. In this Special Issue, Professor Fulong Liao from the China Academy of Chinese Medicine Sciences published an Editorial and introduced the works of discoveries of Artemisinin by Professor Tu Youyou and her team.

Professor Tu Youyou's contributions to medicine have been widely recognized. In addition to the Nobel Prize, she has received numerous accolades, including the Lasker-DeBakey Clinical Medical Research Award and the Medal of the Republic, China's highest state honor.

To honor Professor Tu Youyou's remarkable contributions to human health and to continue with her achievements, MDPI established the "Tu Youyou Award" in 2016. This award aims to acknowledge exceptional scholars committed to the research fields of natural products chemistry and medicinal chemistry.

Prize:
CHF 100,000 in total (If there is more than one winner, the prize will be divided equally amongst the winners.)
An award medal for each winner
Who Should Be Nominated?
Scientist(s) with outstanding achievements and contributions in the fields of natural products chemistry and medicinal chemistry.
Who Can Be the Nominator?
Research institute
University
Academic society
(Please note that no personal nominations are accepted. For research institutes and academic societies, the organization's president can be invited to nominate on behalf of the institution. For universities, the head of the college/school/faculty can be invited to nominate on behalf of the university.)
How to Submit Nominations?
Candidates' institutional affiliations need to submit their nominations for final candidates to Tuyouyou Award Team directly by email after internal screening, and each institution can only nominate a maximum of two candidates for each edition of the Tu Youyou Award. Please note that once the nominations are received and confirmed by the Tu Youyou Award Team, revisions are no longer possible.
Required Nomination Materials:
Nomination Form (Download)
Schedule:
Nomination Deadline: 31 December 2024
Winner Announcement: 30 April 2025
Contact:
Tu Youyou Award Team
 Award Committee 
Prof. Dr. A. Douglas Kinghorn, Chair
College of Pharmacy, The Ohio State University, USA
Prof. Dr. Kinghorn is a leading expert in pharmacognosy and natural products research. He is recognized for his key contributions to discovering bioactive compounds from plants, especially in anticancer, cancer chemopreventive, and substances with a sweet taste and taste-modifying agents. His prolific contributions include over 590 peer-reviewed works and book chapters and edited or co-edited 40 scientific volumes.

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(The other committee members will be announced after the prize is awarded. )

 2022 Tu Youyou Award Winner 

Prof. Dr. Xiaoguang Lei

Prof. Dr. Xiaoguang Lei is currently the Boya Distinguished Professor of Chemistry and Chemical Biology at Peking University. His laboratory at Peking University conducts research on the interface between chemistry and biology. He focuses on the function-oriented synthesis of structurally complex and bioactive natural products and systematically uses bioactive small molecules (ether natural products or unnatural compounds) to study their biological functions, elucidate molecular mechanisms of the essential biological pathways, and develop novel therapeutic agents for currently intractable human diseases, such as cancers and infectious diseases. In addition, he has been exploring the biosynthesis of plant-derived bioactive natural products and developing efficient chemoenzymatic approaches to access these complex molecules. During his career to date, Prof. Dr. Lei has distinguished himself with numerous high-quality contributions in diverse areas of natural product synthesis, chemical biology, and drug discovery. His investigations into the molecular details and mechanism at the interface between chemistry and biology have led to novel discoveries with potentially significant consequences for molecular medicine.

 Awardees 
Year
Awardee
Award Committee
Prof. Dr. Xiaoguang Lei
Peking University, China Details
Prof. Dr. Farid Chemat, Chair
All Members
Prof. Dr. Mauro Maccarrone
University of L'Aquila, Italy Details
Dr. Derek J. McPhee, Chair
All Members
Prof. Dr. Barry Potter
The University of Oxford, UK Details
Dr. Derek J. McPhee, Chair
All Members
Dr. Kenneth A. Jacobson
National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, USA Details
Dr. Derek J. McPhee, Chair
All Members
 Video of The Awardee 

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 Contact 

Tu Youyou Award Team

Email: tuyouyouaward@mdpi.com

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