University of Copenhagen, Denmark
Professor Morten Meldal earned his PhD in 1986 from the Technical University of Denmark (DTU), specializing in carbohydrate synthesis, structure, and immunology. Following his doctorate, he pursued postdoctoral research at the University of Cambridge (1986) and later at the University of Copenhagen. He subsequently joined the Carlsberg Laboratory, where he led synthesis research and, from 2002, served as Professor.
Meldal has a strong entrepreneurial track record as cofounder of Combio A/S and contributor to the establishment of Versamatrix A/S. From 1997 to 2008, he directed the SPOCC Center for Combinatorial Chemistry, and in 2011 he became Professor at the University of Copenhagen’s Department of Chemistry and Director of its Nano Science Center. He later led the Lighthouse Center for Chemical Biology (CECB), a multidisciplinary hub established in 2013.
His research spans synthetic chemistry, molecular recognition, combinatorial screening, and computational design, with applications in biological target proteins such as interleukins, caspases, proteases, apoptosis inhibitors (XIAP), melanocortin receptors, and intrinsically disordered proteins. At CECB, his group pioneered fluorescence-based assays, combinatorial solid-phase technologies, PEG-based resins for biomolecular screening, and microparticle matrix encoding. A notable achievement has been the development of beta-bodies, computationally designed antibody mimetics with high affinity and specificity, now advancing toward commercialization.
Meldal has coauthored more than 330 publications and is co-inventor on 30 patents, reflecting his impact across chemistry, biology, and translational science. His groundbreaking work in click chemistry—a transformative concept in synthetic chemistry—was recognized with the 2022 Nobel Prize in Chemistry.
In 2025, Professor Meldal was further honored with the Hans Christian Ørsted Award in Chemistry, acknowledging not only his pioneering research in click chemistry but also his commitment to communicating science to the public. The award was presented in Rudkøbing, the birthplace of Ørsted.
