University of Uppsala Professor Honored for Lifetime of Innovation

BREA, CALIF. – (March 21, 2013) – Professor Wilhelm Einar Stellan Hjertén of the Institute of Biochemistry, Uppsala University in Sweden, received the Arnold O. Beckman Medal and Award, presented on Monday, March 11th at the 29th International MicroScale Bioseparations Symposium (MSB 2013), held at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville (UVA)

In recognizing outstanding contributions to the field of electrodriven separation techniques, the award is given to an individual for noteworthy career achievements supported by a significant lifelong body of work. Particular consideration is given to the development of new methods, techniques and high-impact applications in the field of electrophoresis.

Hjertén’s investigations have been devoted to various techniques for the purification and characterization of biological substances including proteins, viruses and bacteria. His methods were distinguished by not permitting interactions, in chromatography, between the solute and chromatographic bed, and in electrophoresis, between the solute and the supporting medium – all surfaces with which analytes came in contact had to be hydrophilic. This led to his introduction of agarose and polyacrylamide gels for chromatography and electrophoresis.

During his rich research life, he invented, promoted and developed many new materials, techniques, terms and theories. It would be difficult to find a biochemist or analytical chemist who has never heard of Stellan Hjertén and his accomplishments.

“We are very pleased to sponsor this medal and award named for our founder, Dr. Arnold O. Beckman,” said Jeff Chapman, Director of Scientific Alliances at Beckman Coulter Life Sciences and a co-chair, with James P. Landers, Professor of Chemistry at UVA, of this year’s conference. “Professor Hjertén’s career truly exemplifies the values that this award was created to acknowledge, and his scientific legacy has shaped what is now state-of-the-art implementation of electrophoresis.”

The award, sponsored by Beckman Coulter Life Sciences, consists of a medal, a book honoring the 100-year anniversary of Dr. Beckman (Arnold O. Beckman: One Hundred Years of Excellence), a monetary prize and reimbursement of travel expenses to MSB 2013, where the award was presented.

The MSB Symposium is a gathering of scientists interested in separations of biological materials carried out in small format devices including capillaries, microfluidic chips, plates, etc. Information on this year’s meeting can be found at www.msb2013.net.