Ryan Shenvi, PhD, a professor in the Department of Chemistry, and Edward Roberts, PhD, a professor in the departments of Molecular Medicine and Chemistry, have been named winners of prestigious national awards granted by the American Chemical Society (ACS). 

The ACS National Awards Program is dedicated to advancing all branches of chemistry, supporting initiatives in basic research and industry, and promoting the careers of the nation’s most innovative chemists. The continued excellence of the ACS awards program requires that highly qualified chemistry professionals are nominated by their peers and that great care is taken in preparing the nominations. 

Shenvi has been honored with the Elias J. Corey Award for Outstanding Original Contribution in Organic Synthesis by a Young Investigator, sponsored by The Pfizer Endowment Fund. This award recognizes original and insightful work by a young investigator that has had significant impact on the field of synthetic organic chemistry. 

Roberts works on translational programs in a number of therapeutic areas that span several debilitating diseases. These include multiple sclerosis (MS), depression and anxiety, substance abuse, epilepsy and chronic pain. The ACS award recognizes Roberts’ contributions to the development of the landmark MS drug ozanimod, for which he is the co-inventor. This immunomodulatory therapy, which was approved by the FDA in March 2020, represents a novel, disease-modifying drug for relapsing-remitting forms of the autoimmune condition.