Professor Michael Heinrich wins the Varro E. Tyler Prize

Michael Heinrich and his group’s research is based on a transdisciplinary perspective integrating approaches from the natural and social sciences with an overall aim of tackling fast-changing global health needs and the role of pharmacy in solving such challenges. 

Prof. Douglas Kinghorn (Jack L. Beal Professor and Chair in Natural Products Chemistry and Pharmacognosy, College of Pharmacy, The Ohio State University) writes: “Prof. Michael Heinrich has devoted his career to studying in great detail the ethnobotany, phytochemistry and pharmacology of herbal remedies and botanical dietary supplements and hence is extremely worthy of this further accolade to his already highly distinguished academic career”. 

Specifically, the group is focusing on the use of plant-derived products as ‘medicinal plants’, ‘health foods’ or nutraceuticals, botanicals and the like. It integrates methodological approaches from pharmacy (including pharmaceutical analysis and practice research), ethnopharmacology, plant sciences, natural product research, public health research, and medical anthropology. 

For many years the research centred around understanding the chemical complexity of (medicinal and food) plants and how this is linked to medical uses and pharmacology. More recently the group’s research has looked at value chains of herbal medicines in a globalised context (including their impacts on livelihood and quality of products) and on the use of herbal medicines in the management of chronic diseases. 

A key focus throughout Professor Heinrich's career has been on the sustainable and equitable use of resources also in the wider context of societal and economic needs. This has led to one of his most recent foci – the impact of climate change on medicines/herbal drugs from natural sources and pharmacy and healthcare more widely. 

The award will be presented formally at the 2026 American Society of Pharmacognosy Annual Meeting in Denver, CO next year scheduled for July 25-29, 2026 including a featured award lecture to present and reflect on Professor Heinrich's lifetime achievements. 

The Varro E. Tyler Prize is one of two major awards given annually by the American Society of Pharmacognosy, one of the globally  leading international societies in the field of natural product and medicinal plant research. It was created in 2001 in honour of Professor Tyler, who was the former Dean of Purdue University College of Pharmacy in West Lafayette, Indiana, USA, and a strong advocate for research excellence on European phytomedicines. Most of the awardees over the last 25 years have been researchers from North America, with its strong and excellent tradition in natural product research, making this achievement even more noteworthy.

Links

• Varro E. Tyler Prize
• Professor Michael Heinrich's academic profile