The Excellence in Pharmacology Award celebrates outstanding contributions that have advanced the field of pharmacology in the Netherlands. Whether honouring a talent whose innovative research opens new scientific frontiers, or a distinguished career marked by decades of impactful work, the award reflects the Dutch Pharmacological society’s recognition of excellence at all stages.
For Career Award recipients, this Excellence in Pharmacology award acknowledges an excellent track record of scientific work, shaping basic and translational pharmacological-related science, from molecules to therapeutics. Equally valued is the role of inspiring mentors and dedicated supporters of the society, fostering collaboration and preparing the next generation of scientists/clinicians both in the Netherlands and internationally.
For Innovation Award winners, the recognition highlights creative approaches, ideas, and early career accomplishments that push the boundaries of pharmacological science.
In all cases, the award reflects the committee’s appreciation for research, that bridges fundamental molecular insights with societal benefits, strengthening the Dutch Pharmacology as a whole.
Each year, one Excellence in Pharmacology awardee is receiving this prize at the Autumn Meeting.
Excellence in Pharmacology, Career award 2025
The laureate of 2025 is Prof. Ad IJzerman.
Ad is an emeritus professor of medicinal chemistry at Leiden University, The Netherlands. There he led a large team working at the interface of structural biology, molecular pharmacology and medicinal chemistry. Ad’s main focus over the years has been the large superfamily of GPCRs. In 2008 his team co-authored one of the first (Science) publications describing the 3D structure of the adenosine A2A receptor, followed by a number of similar high-profile papers. As a medicinal chemist Ad developed thousands of NCEs, covered in the literature by more than a dozen patents and over 430 scientific publications (H-index >80). He also pioneered novel receptor concepts such as inverse agonism, constitutive activity, allosteric modulation and drug target binding kinetics, all principles for which he constituted large European consortia. He received many prizes, including the 2020 Nauta Award for Medicinal Chemistry and Chemical Biology from the European Federation of Medicinal Chemistry. Above all, he enjoys collaborating with other scientists and mentoring younger colleagues.