Dr. Nicholas Bodor receives Hungary’s prestigious Gábor Dénes Lifetime Achievement Award

Nicholas Bodor, Ph.D., D.Sc., a graduate research professor emeritus in the University of Florida College of Pharmacy and an internationally recognized expert in drug discovery, design, and delivery, was presented the Gábor Dénes Lifetime Achievement Award in Hungary.

The Gábor Dénes Lifetime Achievement Award was presented Dec. 13, 2024, in Budapest, Hungary. The ceremony included (pictured left to right of the Gábor Dénes bust) Miklós Bendzsel, president of the Gábor Dénes Foundation; Miklós Bodor, accepting the award on behalf of his father; and László Kövér, speaker of the National Assembly of Hungary.

Established in 1989 by the NOVOFER Foundation of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, this award recognizes individuals whose groundbreaking scientific innovations have led to significant practical applications. It is named in honor of Dr. Dénes “Dennis” Gabor, a Hungarian-British physicist who was awarded the 1971 Nobel Prize in Physics for creating holographic 3-D imaging.

The presentation ceremony was held on Dec. 13, 2024, in the Upper House of Hungary’s Parliament in Budapest and presided over by László Kövér, speaker of the National Assembly of Hungary. Bodor’s son, Miklós Bodor, M.D., Ph.D., accepted the award on his behalf.

The Hungarian Academy of Sciences honored Nicholas Bodor with the award in recognition of his groundbreaking contributions to drug design and development, notably his establishment of the theory and methodological framework for retrometabolic drug design. His achievements also include quantum chemical research and the development of innovative programs for chemically guided systems and soft drugs, leading to advancements in treatments for the central nervous system, ophthalmology, dermatology, hyperhidrosis, and multiple sclerosis.

Bodor joined the UF College of Pharmacy in 1979 as a professor and chair of the department of medicinal chemistry. He was promoted to graduate research professor in 1983 and founded the college’s Center for Drug Discovery in 1986. During his tenure at UF, he supervised the training of more than 50 doctoral students and over 100 postdoctoral research associates and fellows. He took a leave of absence from his academic position in 2000 to accept an appointment at the IVAX Corporation, where he served as chief scientific officer. He later founded and served as CEO of Bodor Laboratories in Miami.

Bodor’s impact on science is evident through his 530 scientific papers and 340 patents. His work has earned him numerous international and Hungarian distinctions, including multiple honorary doctorates. This latest honor marks his second lifetime achievement award, having previously received the 2022 Arany János Lifetime Achievement Award from the Hungarian Academy of Sciences. His influence extends globally as an elected member and fellow of prominent academies and learned societies. In an emeritus role, Bodor has remained an active part of the UF College of Pharmacy. He helped establish a distinguished professorship named the Nicholas Bodor Professor in Drug Discovery in 2007, and UF named a lectureship series in his honor in 2019.