The Josef Rudinger Memorial Lecture Award is presented “in commemoration of Josef Rudinger’s role in the foundation of the European Peptide Symposia and of diverse contributions he made to peptide chemistry”. The Award is presented during the EPS Symposium and is sponsored by PolyPeptide Group.
The 2026 awardee is Professor Norbert Sewald. Congratulations!
Norbert Sewald studied chemistry at Technical University Munich, where he received his diploma in Chemistry and doctorate in organic chemistry under Prof. Klaus Burger. Following postdoctoral research with Prof. J. E. Baldwin at the University of Oxford, he completed his habilitation at the University of Leipzig. Since 1999, he has been Full Professor of Organic and Bioorganic Chemistry at Bielefeld University.
Norbert’s research focuses on peptide and bioorganic chemistry at the interface of synthetic chemistry, chemical biology, and biomedical application. Over many years, his group has developed methods for the selective functionalization of amino acids, peptides, and proteins by combining peptide chemistry and organic synthesis with enzymatic and bio-orthogonal approaches. A central theme of his work is the integration of biocatalysis, transition-metal catalysis, and late-stage peptide derivatization to access structurally complex and biologically relevant peptide architectures.
One major research area is the development of peptide-drug conjugates and targeted therapeutic systems, particularly for cancer therapy. His group designs conjugates in which highly potent natural product-derived toxins are linked to peptides, proteins, or antibodies for selective delivery to tumor cells. Another important focus is biocatalytic halogenation, especially the discovery and engineering of flavin-dependent halogenases for selective C-H functionalization under mild conditions. In the area of late-stage peptide derivatization, his group uses transition metal-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions and bioorthogonal chemistry for the diversification and modification of peptides. These approaches have contributed to expanding the synthetic toolbox of modern peptide chemistry and provide access to peptide-based structures that are difficult to obtain by conventional methods. He also coordinated the Marie Skłodowska-Curie training networks MAGICBULLET and Magicbullet::reloaded.
Beyond his own research, Norbert is also Chairman of the Max-Bergmann-Kreis for the promotion of peptide science. He has been deeply committed to the European peptide science community and strongly believes that scientific progress thrives through open exchange, cross-border collaboration, and the free circulation of knowledge and young researchers across Europe and the World. Throughout his career, he has actively worked to build international networks, promote scientific cooperation, and support early-career scientists from many different countries. This commitment is reflected in his long-standing involvement in the European Peptide Society, where he served as Member of the Scientific Affairs Committee, as Scientific Affairs Officer and later as President from 2020 to 2024.
Norbert has supervised 73 PhD students and 89 MSc students and hosted many international guest scientists and fellows. Several former members of his group now hold academic positions in Europe, Africa, and Latin America. He has authored more than 560 scientific publications, including over 230 papers in amino acid, peptide, and protein chemistry, and serves as Associate Editor of the Beilstein Journal of Organic Chemistry and as a member of the Advisory Board of the Journal of Peptide Science.