Dr. Gerry Wright Receives NRC Research Press Senior Investigator Award

The Canadian Society for Molecular Biosciences has named Dr. Gerry Wright, professor and scientific director of the Michael G. DeGroote Institute for Infectious Disease Research (IIDR), as the recipient of the 2016 NRC Research Press Senior Investigator Award.

The annual award, presented by the NRC Research Press, a division of Canadian Science Publishing, recognizes Canadian scientists with a record of exceptional accomplishment in the fields of biochemistry, molecular biology or cellular biology.

Wright, a leading authority on bacterial and fungal antimicrobial resistance, was formally honoured this past week at the 16^th International Conference of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology in Vancouver.

Although humbled by the recognition, Wright credits his trainees and collaborators, past and present, for the award.

“I’ve spent the last twenty-plus years working with some remarkable people,” he says. “I consider this award a true reflection of the outstanding work we’ve done together.”

A faculty member since 1993, Wright’s tenure at McMaster includes service as Chair of the Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, as well as co-founding Canada’s first academia-based high throughput screening facility. He currently holds the Canada Research Chair in Molecular Studies of Antibiotics.

Earlier this year, Wright was among three professors from the Faculty of Health Sciences to receive the distinction of Distinguished University Professor – the highest faculty honour at McMaster.