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Sine Larsen awarded Max Perutz Prize

22-08-2018

On 22 August 2018, former ESRF Director of Research, Sine Larsen, was awarded the Max Perutz Prize from the European Crystallographic Association (ECA). This award comes in recognition of her multi-faceted contributions to crystallography, including crystal structure analyses of organic molecules and proteins, charge density studies, and the development of synchrotron radiation facilities.

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The prize was awarded during the Opening Ceremony of the 31st European Crystallographic Meeting in Oviedo, Spain, where Sine Larsen gave her Award Lecture.

Sine Larsen’s research is in the areas of structural chemistry and structural biology, where her primary tool is X-ray crystallographic methods.

Sine Larsen, Professor of Chemistry at the University of Copenhagen (now emeritus) spent 6 years at the ESRF from 2003-2009 in the position of Director of Research for Life Sciences. She is a distinguished crystallographer whose work encompasses both structural biology and structural chemistry.  She has specialised in the areas of chiral chemistry, charge density studies, and structural biology. 

Talking of her time at the ESRF, Sine Larsen says: “The six years I spent at the ESRF were one of the highlights in my scientific and professional career. It was fantastic to experience and support ESRF’s contributions to the new developments in all types of crystallographic research and contribute to the future of ESRF as member of the directors team that planned and got the first phase of the ESRF upgrade approved. I am always happy to be back at the ESRF as a user and as a Nordsync delegate of the ESRF Council.”

After appointments at M.I.T. and the Danish Technical University, in 1974 Professor Larsen joined the University of Copenhagen where she became Director of the Centre of Crystallographic Studies (in 1994), and Professor of Structural Chemistry (in 1997). She has served on many international committees including presiding over the International Union of Crystallography as General Secretary and Treasurer from 2008-2011. She was Director of the MAX IV Laboratory in 2011-2012.

Presently Sine Larsen serves as a member of the advisory committees of several large facilities.

Top image: Sine Larsen was Director of Life Sciences at the ESRF from 2003-2009. ©ESRF/C. Argoud.