HUPO Awards - 2024 recipients

The Distinguished Achievement in Proteomic Sciences Award recognizes a scientist for distinguished scientific achievements in the field of proteomic science.

Joshua J. Coon, University of Wisconsin, USA

In 2004 Coon co-invented Electron Transfer Dissociation (ETD) and throughout his career has pioneered development and application of ETD with ~ 100 publications on ETD alone. By allowing chemists and biologists to probe previously inaccessible regions of the proteome, ETD offers a unique lens through which to study proteins. Parallel Reaction Monitoring (PRM). In 2012Coon described PRM where the third quadrupole of low-resolution QqQ system is substituted with a high resolution/accurate mass analyzer to permit the parallel detection of all target product ions in one high resolution mass analysis. That manuscript alone has received over 1,200 citations.  Instrumentation for Coupling MS and CryoEM. In 2022 Coon pioneered the coupling of native MSwith CryoEM to revolutionize protein structural analysis. His team described new instrumentation that allowed them to solve the first 3D structure of a protein-protein complex that had been ionized, vaporized, mass analyzed, and landed using MS        

The Discovery in Proteomic Sciences Award recognizes a scientist for a single discovery in the field of proteomics.

Mikhail Savitski, EMBL, Germany 

Mikhail Savitski developed Thermal Proteome Profiling (TPP) the first unbiased approach for identifying protein targets of drugs in living cells on a proteome-wide scale. TPP combines the principle of the cellular thermal shift with multiplexed quantitative proteomics in order to measure thermal stability of proteins across the proteome. This enables the identification of drug targets and off-targets as proteins that bind a drug will typically become more thermostable. Notably, Mikhail Savitski has shown that application of TPP goes beyond drug discovery since any changes in a protein's functional state such as changes in protein-protein interactions, protein-metabolite interactions, protein-nucleic acid interactions, protein post-translational modifications etc. will be reflected in changes in protein thermal stability. Mikhail Savitski has demonstrated this ability of TPP to tackle diverse biological questions in a string of high-profile publications including studies of eukaryotic cell cycle, application of TPP to an in vivo setting in tissues.

CLINICAL AND TRANSLATIONAL PROTEOMICS AWARD

The Clinical and Translational Proteomics Award recognizes a scientist in the field of clinical and translational proteomics.

Catherine CL Wong, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, China

In addition to her impressive over 100 peer reviewed papers in top-tier journals such as Nature Metabolism (2023), eBioMedicine (2023), Nature Cell Biology (2021), Nature Communications(2020), and Cell (2020), Catherine established an innovative closed-loop translational proteomics platform. She has demonstrated her distinctive talent for moving beyond conventional research boundaries and engaging directly with real-world challenges. She has discovered Target-X, a key player in tumor proliferation and metastasis, with high expression in tumors but low or no expression in normal tissue. This pivotal finding paved the way for the development of the pioneering antibody drug conjugate (ADC) product, FS001, significantly shortening the traditional pharmaceutical development timeline from 10-17 years to 3-5 years. Remarkably, FS001 surpasses the efficacy and safety of existing ADCs on the market. Additionally, Catherine has successfully identified the world's first laboratory diagnostic molecule for depression. This achievement holds immense significance for depression screening, and adjunctive diagnosis.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY AWARD

Recognizes an individual or a team in private industry for the commercialization or (not necessarily) the invention of products, technologies or procedures which had the demonstrated effect in enabling proteome researchers to advance their science.

Sponsored By:  HUPO Industrial Advisory Board (IAB)

Dmitry Grinfeld, Christian Hock, Alexander Makarov, Hamish Stewart, Thermo Fisher Scientific

The Orbitrap Astral mass spectrometer is the unique combination of well-established Orbitrap technology with the novel asymmetric track lossless (Astral) analyzer. The Astral analyzer combines an accumulating extraction ion trap for 100% duty cycle, with a 30+ meter multi-reflection track formed by a pair of converging asymmetric ion mirrors supported by specially shaped ion foil compensation electrodes. These provide multi-dimensional ion focusing allowing 90% transmission across the multi-reflection path. Ion transmission through the Astral analyzer is substantially improved versus currently commercially available mass spectrometers including qToF (by 10X) and Orbitrap instruments. The Astral analyzer shows order of magnitude level improvement in MS/MS acquisition rate, ion sensitivity and resolving power over Orbitrap analyzers. Meanwhile the highly parallelized instrument operation allows the conjoined Orbitrap analyzer time to perform very long, high quality acquisition of panoramic full-MS spectra, enabling a higher acquisition rate and ion sensitivity without compromising mass accuracy or resolving power.

RISING STAR AWARD 

This career achievement award is designed to recognize early career researchers who have had an exceptional impact on the proteomics field and community. This impact can take the shape of publications, patents obtained, development of a commercial product, establishment of a course, training program, workshop or any other contributions or service to the field of proteomics. 

Organized By: HUPO Early Career Researcher (ECR) Committee

Lindsay K. Pino, University of Washington, USA

Dr. Pino has made significant contributions to the field of proteomics across various domains, showcasing expertise, innovation, and leadership. Her publication record stands out, with 17 peer-reviewed articles demonstrating a breadth of knowledge in mass spectrometry, proteomics methodologies, and molecular biology. Her research covers diverse areas such as fundamental protein quantification by mass spectrometry, spatiotemporal protein dynamics, and pharmacologica profiling in cancer. Notably, her work on matrix-matched calibration has advanced quantitative proteomics methodologies, impacting the accuracy and precision of protein analysis. Dr. Pino's role as co-founder and Chief Technology Officer at Talus Bioscience signifies her entrepreneurial spirit and translational application of proteomics in the commercial sector. This venture highlights her ability to transform academic research into real-world solutions, which I believe will lead to innovations in how the pharmaceutical industry approaches drug discovery. Furthermore, Dr. Pino's contributions extend beyond research and into education and training. She has organized and led numerous workshops and courses on quantitative mass spectrometry proteomics, providing valuable learning opportunities for scientists from academia and industry around the world. Her involvement in mentoring undergraduate and PhD students demonstrates a commitment to fostering the next generation of proteomics researchers. In terms of professional service, Dr. Pino's active engagement in editorial boards, committees, and research groups reflects her dedication to advancing the field. Her leadership roles in organizations such as the US Human Proteome Organization and the Association of Biomolecular Resources Facilities indicate recognition and respect within the scientific community. Dr. Pino's contributions encompass research excellence, entrepreneurial endeavors, educational initiatives, and service to the proteomics community. Her multidimensional impact underscores a holistic approach to advancing the field, positioning them as a leader and innovator in proteomics research and application.