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Bader Prize for Organic Chemistry

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Bader Prize for Organic Chemistry

The Bader Prize recognises eminence in organic chemistry, which has not previously been rewarded by the ·¬ÇÑÉçÇø of Chemistry.

Details

Status Closed
Nominations opening date 21 October 2025 12:00am
Nominations closing date 14 January 2026 12:00am
Nominator eligibility ·¬ÇÑÉçÇø members
Nominee eligibility Individuals
Nominee location UK and Ireland
Career stage All career stages

Previous winners

About this prize

Nominations for this prize will close on Wednesday 14 January 2026 at 17:00 GMT. 

The Bader Prize recognises eminence in organic chemistry, which has not previously been rewarded by the ·¬ÇÑÉçÇø of Chemistry.

  • Run annually
  • The winner receives £3000, a medal and a certificate 
  • The winner will complete a UK lecture tour
  • The winner will be chosen by the Organic Chemistry Prize Selection Panel  

Eligibility

Individuals named in any of the following roles during the nomination and judging period are not eligible to nominate or be nominated:

  • Organic Chemistry Prize Selection Panel members
  • ·¬ÇÑÉçÇø Subject Community Presidents
  • ·¬ÇÑÉçÇø Prize Committee members
  • Trustees of the ·¬ÇÑÉçÇø of Chemistry
  • ·¬ÇÑÉçÇø of Chemistry staff 

Nominators:

  • Only ·¬ÇÑÉçÇø members can nominate for this prize.
  • Nominees may NOT nominate themselves.

Nominees:

  • This prize is open to nominees based in the UK or Ireland only.
  • There are no career stage restrictions associated with this prize.
  • Nominees must not have previously received an individual ·¬ÇÑÉçÇø Prize
  • Nominees can only be considered for one of our Research & Innovation Prizes in any given year. In a case where a nominee is nominated for more than one prize independently, ·¬ÇÑÉçÇø staff will ask the nominee which prize they would like to be considered for.
  • We will not consider nominations of deceased individuals.
  • We particularly encourage nominations of disabled people, those who work part-time, or whose career has spanned a break for any reason – for example, a period of parental or adoption leave, caring responsibilities, long-term illness, family commitments, or other circumstances. We understand that these can impact a nominee’s career in different ways, and encourage nominators to use the space provided on the nomination form to explain the nature and impact of the nominees’ individual circumstances (see 'Guidelines for Nominators' for further details).

General information

  • When nominating previous ·¬ÇÑÉçÇø prize winners, please remember that a person cannot be awarded twice for substantially the same body of work.
  • Nominees should only be nominated once for this prize in any given prize cycle. In cases where we receive more than one nomination for the same nominee, only one nomination will go forward to judging.
  • All unsuccessful nominations from the previous cycle will be retained on our nomination system ahead of the next cycle. To be considered again, nominators must log in, update details, and resubmit the nomination for the following cycle. Please note that reconsideration is no longer automatic. 
    • ·¬ÇÑÉçÇø staff will write to nominators and nominees to confirm when the nomination window has re-opened. Nominators will receive instructions on how to log in and update the nomination.

To make a nomination, please use our online nominations system to submit the following information:

  • Your name, contact details, and membership number (please contact the ·¬ÇÑÉçÇø Membership team if you do not know your membership details). Your ·¬ÇÑÉçÇø membership must be confirmed at the point of nomination – it is not sufficient to have a membership application in process. The identity of nominators is not made known to our judging panels. The ·¬ÇÑÉçÇø reserves the right to amend nominations if necessary to ensure the anonymity of the nominator.
  • Your nominee's name and contact details. 
  • An up to date CV for the nominee (no longer than one A4 side, 11pt text) which should include a summary of their education and career, and a maximum of 5 relevant publications or patents.
  • Any information related to career breaks taken by your nominee - for example, a period of parental or adoption leave, caring responsibilities, long-term illness, family commitments, as well as any other circumstances including long-term conditions or disabilities. We understand that these can impact a nominee's career in different ways, and encourage nominators to use the space provided on the nomination form to explain the nature and impact of the nominee's individual circumstances. This information will be shared with the selection panel, but before doing so ·¬ÇÑÉçÇø staff will always seek consent from the nominee in cases where special category data is mentioned. 
  • A short citation describing what the nominee should be awarded for. This must be no longer than 250 characters (including spaces) and no longer than one sentence.
  • A supporting statement (up to 750 words) addressing the selection criteria. Our guidance for nominators page has more information on writing this supporting statement.
  • A statement (up to 100 words) describing how your nominee has contributed more broadly to the scientific community. A list of possible examples is outlined in the ‘selection criteria’ tab.
  • References are not required for this award and will not be accepted. 

The ·¬ÇÑÉçÇø reserves the right to rescind any prize if there are reasonable grounds to do so. All nominators will be asked to confirm that to the best of their knowledge there is no impediment, relating to professional conduct, to their nominee receiving this prize. All prize winners will be asked to sign the ·¬ÇÑÉçÇøâ€™s Code of Conduct Declaration for Recognition.

Our selection panels base their evaluations on the overall quality of relevant contributions and achievements by nominees, in relation to the selection criteria listed below.

The scientific content of any supporting publications, as described in the supporting statement, is much more important than publication metrics or the identity of the journal in which it is published.

The selection panel will consider the following aspects of nominations for this prize:

  • Originality of research
  • Impact of research
  • Quality of publications and/or patents and/or software
  • Innovation
  • Professional standing
  • Collaborations and teamwork
  • Other indicators of esteem indicated by the nominator

In an instance where multiple nominees are judged equally meritorious in relation to the above criteria, judging panels have the flexibility to use information provided by the nominator on the nominee’s broader contribution to the chemistry community as an additional criterion.

Examples of relevant contributions could include, but are not limited to:

  • Involvement with ·¬ÇÑÉçÇø of Chemistry member groups/networks
  • Teaching/demonstrating
  • Effective mentorship
  • Service on boards, committees or panels
  • Leadership in the scientific community
  • Peer-reviewer
  • Promotion of diversity and inclusion
  • Advocacy for chemistry
  • Public engagement and outreach

A generous gift from Dr Alfred Bader resulted in the establishment of the Bader Prize in 1989.

Dr Bader founded the Aldrich Chemical Company, in Wisconsin, with Jack Eisendrath in 1951. As Aldrich rapidly expanded internationally in the 1950s and '60s, Bader merged with Sigma International, to form Sigma-Aldrich in 1975. During his time as Chairman of the company, from its inception in 1951 until 1991, Bader amassed an impressive library of rare chemicals, and the Sigma catalogue became the standard reference text for many chemists looking for physical and structural data. 

Born into a Jewish family in Vienna in 1924, Bader was evacuated to Britain in the Kindertransport in 1938. Following this period he spent time at an internment camp in Canada before completing his education at Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario. Later, Bader studied for his PhD under Louis Fieser at Harvard. 

Throughout his life, he harboured a great interest in art, and had a large collection of 'Old Master' paintings. After retiring from Sigma-Aldrich he devoted his life to philanthropy, as well as his art collection, and published his memoirs - "Adventures of a Chemist Collector" and "Chemistry and Art". He was awarded eleven honorary degrees for his service to chemical research and philanthropy. Bader died in 2018, aged 94.

 
YearNameInstitutionCitation
2025Professor Anita MaguireUniversity College CorkAwarded for the development of a diverse range of synthetic organic methodologies and protocols, and their applications to medicinal chemistry.
2024Professor Bruce TurnbullUniversity of LeedsAwarded for the development and application of bioorthogonal approaches in engineering functional protein and carbohydrate based systems.
2023Professor Marc VendrellThe University of EdinburghAwarded for the design and synthesis of activatable fluorophores, and their application in high-resolution biological imaging and translational medicine.
2022Professor Ross DentonThe University of NottinghamAwarded for the development of novel synthesis methods and catalysts based on organophosphorus and organosilicon chemistry, and their application in the synthesis of pharmaceuticals and natural products.
2021Professor Alison HulmeUniversity of EdinburghAwarded for creative applications of alkyne chemistry in synthesis and label-free Raman imaging in cells.
2020Professor Edward AndersonUniversity of OxfordAwarded for creative contributions to organic synthesis and synthetic methodology
2019Professor Jason MicklefieldThe University of ManchesterAwarded for innovative contributions to the elucidation of natural product biosynthetic pathways and the development of enzymes for synthesis.
2018Professor Joseph HarrityThe University of SheffieldAwarded for the development of innovative strategies for the synthesis of functionalised heterocyclic scaffolds.
2017Professor Michael GreaneyThe University of ManchesterAwarded for creative contributions to C-H activation, dynamic covalent chemistry, and reactive intermediates in organic synthesis.
2016Professor Thomas WirthCardiff UniversityAwarded for his break-through discoveries in hypervalent iodine chemistry and flow-based synthesis that have led the field and have opened up completely new areas of research.
2015Professor Stephen ClarkUniversity of GlasgowAwarded for the development of new reactions and strategies for the efficient synthesis of highly functionalised natural products.
2014Professor David ProcterUniversity of ManchesterAwarded for significant contributions to synthetic methods development for the efficient construction of complex molecules of biological interest.
2013Professor Jonathan GoodmanUniversity of CambridgeDistinguished for his innovative applications of computational studies to understanding molecular properties and synthesis design in organic chemistry and reactivity in enzyme chemistry.
2012Professor John MurphyUniversity of StrathclydeAwarded for his many highly creative and original contributions to reactivity in organic synthesis, including free radical chemistry, the concept of the radical-polar crossover reaction and electron transfer in the invention of organic super electron reducing agents.
2011Karl J Hale Queen's University, BelfastAwarded for outstanding contributions to organic chemistry, including elegant total syntheses and pioneering new synthetic methods of broad use to the community. 
His significant contributions to the synthesis and medicinal chemistry of bioactive natural products and their analogs.
2010Kevin Booker-MilburnUniversity of BristolAwarded for his original and innovative contributions to photochemical reactions and techniques, and to transition metal-mediated procedures.
2009Douglas PhilpUniversity of St AndrewsAwarded for his creative research into supramolecular chemistry and the design of molecular self-replication systems.
2008Veronique GouverneurUniversity of OxfordAwarded for her important contributions to synthetic organofluorine chemistry.
2007Dr J B SpencerUniversity of CambridgeDistinguished for his breakthroughs in the biosynthesis of clinically important natural products.
2006Professor David M HodgsonUniversity of OxfordDistinguished for his development of novel synthetic technology for use in total synthesis, including novel carbenoid, lithiation and epoxide chemistry.
2005This Award was not awarded for 2005

2004Dr Robert S WardUniversity of Wales, SwanseaDistinguished for his contributions to natural product chemistry, particularly concerning the synthesis of lignans including podophyllotoxins.
2003Dr Hamish McNabUniversity of Edinburgh
2002Dr Stuart G WarrenUniversity of CambridgeDistinguished for his contributions to organophosphorus and organosulfur chemistry, and for his outstanding achievements in chemical education at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels.
2001Dr David R M Walton University of SussexDistinguished for his fundamental interdisciplinary contributions to the synthesis of carbon-based materials and inorganic nanostructures, and for his elucidation of nanotube self-assembly mechanisms.
2000Dr Tom L GilchristUniversity of LiverpoolDistinguished for his contributions to heterocyclic chemistry and the development of novel heteroatom-containing dienes and dienophiles.
1999Dr R J WhitbyUniversity of SouthamptonDistinguished for his contributions to the application of early transition metals to organic synthesis.
1998Dr Don A WhitingUniversity of NottinghamDistinguished for his contributions to the synthesis, biosynthesis and structure elucidation of natural products.
1997Dr D A WiddowsonImperial College LondonDistinguished for his major contributions over many years in natural products, bioorganic and organometallic chemistry. Special mention should be made of his work on the biosynthesis of alkaloids and steroids; on the mechanisms of NADH and coenzyme B12 dependent reactions; new methods for aromatic fluorination; and perhaps most importantly for his work with arenetricarbonylchromiun complexes.
1996I Paterson 

1995G W J Fleet 

1994A B Holmes

1993R W Alder 

1992M R Bryce

1991W B Motherwell

1990D H Williams 

1989S G Davies

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Research & Innovation Prizes

Our Research & Innovation Prizes recognise brilliant chemical scientists carrying out amazing work in academia and industry. They include prizes for those at different career stages in chemistry and for those working in specific fields, as well as interdisciplinary prizes and prizes for those in specific roles

Selection panel

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Professor AnnMarie O'Donoghue

Durham University, UK

Professor Vijay Chudasama

Professor Vijay Chudasama

University College London, UK

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Dr Tom Corrie

Syngenta, UK

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Professor Ai-Lan Lee

University of Edinburgh, UK

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Professor Anita Maguire

University College Cork, Ireland

Professor Angela Russell

Professor Angela Russell

University of Oxford, UK

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Professor Robert Stockman

University of Nottingham, UK