UCL’s Exequiel Porta Receives TropicalMed Young Investigator Award

21 May 2025

UCL researcher Dr Porta receives global recognition with the TropicalMed Young Investigator Award for his pioneering research in medicinal chemistry and chemical biology targeting tropical diseases.

Dr Exequiel Porta, a Research Fellow at UCL’s School of Pharmacy, has been awarded the TropicalMed 2024 Young Investigator Award. This prestigious global recognition highlights Dr Porta’s outstanding contributions to medicinal chemistry, chemical biology, and drug discovery, specifically his innovative work targeting neglected tropical diseases (NTDs).

The TropicalMed Young Investigator Award honours young researchers who demonstrate exceptional potential and notable achievements in tropical medicine and infectious diseases. Dr Porta’s research integrates advanced chemoproteomic methods and modern medicinal chemistry strategies, focusing on identifying new therapeutic targets and treatments for diseases such as Chagas disease, sleeping sickness, and leishmaniasis.

In an interview following the award announcement, Dr Porta, who works with the Kozielski and Wells group, discussed the impact and future direction of his research, emphasizing the crucial role of interdisciplinary collaboration in addressing global health challenges (see ‘Further information’). This award underscores the significance of Dr Porta’s contributions and highlights the broader relevance of combating NTDs—conditions that disproportionately affect vulnerable populations worldwide.

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