Richard Willson, Huffington-Woestemeyer professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering at UH Cullen College, is recipient of the 2015 Pierce Award in Affinity Technology from the International Society of Molecular Recognition. Willson plans to travel to Puerto Vallarta this month to collect the award and present a lecture at the biennial ISMR Affinity Conference.
The Affinity Conference is a long-standing tradition distinguished by its crosscutting focus on the science and technology of biomolecular affinity interactions, according to the ISMR website. Scientists and engineers from academia and industry meet to exchange knowledge on affinity technology and molecular recognition and their applications for health and disease as well as bioprocessing and biosensing.
Founded in 1985, ISMR fosters communication between researchers concerned with molecular recognition in chemistry, biology, biotechnology and medicine. In recent years, advances in numerous methodologies have provided researchers with tools to identify and characterize interacting molecules and to understand general rules of molecular recognition. This knowledge complements the field of affinity technology, making it possible to use both native and designed interacting molecules for such biotechnological applications as purification, diagnostics and therapeutics, according to the ISMR website.
Willson, who serves as immediate past-president for the society, co-organized the upcoming Affinity Conference.