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The International Carbohydrate Organization recently announced the 2026 recipient of the Roy L. Whistler International Award in Carbohydrate Chemistry, a major honor in the field of carbohydrate chemistry. Prof. Todd L. Lowary, Director and Distinguished Research Fellow of the Institute of Biological Chemistry at Academia Sinica, was selected for this award in recognition of his groundbreaking contributions to the development of tools to understand the role of glycans in bacterial disease, particularly those caused by mycobacteria, including those causing the disease tuberculosis.

The selection committee noted that Prof. Lowary’s seminal contributions span the whole gamut of carbohydrate chemistry—from synthesis, NMR spectroscopy, and computational work to biology, including the synthesis and functional elucidation of very complex bacterial surface glycans—all of which represent vital and pioneering contributions..

The Roy L. Whistler International Award in Carbohydrate Chemistry is regarded as the most prestigious international recognition in the field of carbohydrate chemistry, aimed at recognizing scholars worldwide who have achieved outstanding achievements and pioneering influence in carbohydrate science. Distinguishing himself across interdisciplinary approaches such as organic synthesis, NMR spectroscopy, conformational analysis and chemical biology, Lowary’s group has successfully synthesized the structures of highly complex bacterial surface glycans as well human blood group antigens. These compounds have not only found widespread application fundamental studies but have also enabled a broad number of investigations with significant practical application and impact including improved vaccines and diagnostics for tuberculosis, better vaccines for disease of agricultural importance and novel and improved diagnostics for monitoring organ transplant recipients before and after surgery. This award not only recognizes his research achievements in carbohydrate science over the years, but also highlights the international academic influence of Academia Sinica in the fields of carbohydrate science and biomedical research.

Prof. Lowary received his B.A. in chemistry from the University of Montana and his Ph.D. in organic chemistry from the University of Alberta. He subsequently completed postdoctoral appointments at the University of Alberta and the Carlsberg Laboratory. In 1996, he joined the Department of Chemistry at The Ohio State University as an Assistant Professor, and in 2002, he was promoted to Associate Professor with tenure. He returned to the University of Alberta in 2003 and retired in 2021 as the R. U. Lemieux Professor of Carbohydrate Chemistry. In 2019, he became a Distinguished Research Fellow at the Institute of Biological Chemistry at Academia Sinica, a position he continues to hold today, while currently serving as the Director of the Institute.

To date, his research group has published over 280 research papers and reviews, to which over 125 M.Sc. students, Ph.D. students, technicians, and postdoctoral fellows have contributed. Lowary is a Fellow of the American Chemical Society, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and the Royal Society of Canada.