Great Britain's 175-year-old Royal Society of Chemistry has bestowed its prestigious Soft Matter & Biophysical Chemistry Award on UCI professor Douglas Tobias.

Douglas Tobias, professor of chemistry at UCI, is the 2017 recipient of the Soft Matter & Biophysical Chemistry Award from Britain’s Royal Society of Chemistry. The prize honors outstanding and innovative research in soft condensed matter and the application of physicochemical techniques to biological problems. It includes a cash prize of about $2,600, a medal, a certificate and an invitation to deliver lectures at higher education institutions in the United Kingdom. “The award recognizes work that I started as a postdoctoral researcher and have continued throughout my career to the present,” Tobias said. “I am indebted to my mentors, student and postdoctoral co-workers, and collaborators for all of their contributions that were essential to enriching my work to a level worthy of recognition by this award.” Tobias’ research involves computer modeling to simulate the motion of atoms in protein molecules to better understand biological processes. It has provided insights into nerve impulses and cataract formation. The U.K.’s professional organization for chemical scientists, the Royal Society of Chemistry has existed for 175 years and has more than 50,000 members from around the world.