Peter Langguth awarded Honorary Doctorate and doctoral insignia
Friday 30 January, the Faculty of Pharmacy's new Honorary Doctor, Peter Langguth, Professor of Pharmaceutical Technology and Biopharmaceutics at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, accepted the doctor's hat, diploma and ring from conferrer Luke Odell at Uppsala University's traditional Winter Conferment Ceremony.
The atmosphere was solemn as Vice-Chancellor Anders Hagfeldt welcomed the audience to Uppsala University’s Grand Auditorium and the Winter Conferment Ceremony 2026. The Faculty of Pharmacy, today represented by Professor Luke Odell, conferring ten new doctoral graduates – Shno Asad, Yuming Zhang, Shaquib Rahman Ansari, Maddalena Centanni, Johanna Villén, Amaury O’Jeanson, Raphaël Saporta, Eman Ibrahim, Budi Octasari Susanto and Yuanxi Zou – also presented the doctoral insignia to the Faculty's new Honorary Doctor in Pharmacy: Peter Langguth, Professor of Pharmaceutical Technology and Biopharmaceutics at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz.
Professor Peter Langguth with hosts, conferrer and Dean
“The conferment ceremony was in every respect a fascinating experience, not least in providing insight into the traditions embodied in the doctoral insignia. This is a form of ceremony that has unfortunately fallen into disuse at many universities, and one which I am convinced Uppsala University should preserve to the greatest extent possible. Not least, it can contribute significant value by creating and strengthening relationships with researchers beyond the university’s own academic community,” notes Professor Langguth.
In Uppsala, the Doctoral Degree Conferment Ceremony – a tradition celebrating its 426th anniversary – begins at 7:00 am with a cannon salute. The Conferment Ceremony starts a quarter past noon with a procession entering the university Grand Auditorium. After the faculty conferrers have presented the tokens of honour to doctoral graduates and Honorary Doctors, there is time to mingle in the University Main Building before the festivities continue with a banquet in the Hall of State at Uppsala Castle.
Newly conferred doctors and Professor Alexandra Teleki
“It has been 32 years since I first visited Uppsala and its Faculty of Pharmacy. Beyond being a nearly perfect student city, I am still struck by the almost unique qualities that characterise the approach to research here,” says Professor Langguth, who yesterday met the people of Uppsala in connection with his well-received public lecture Lipoplexes and Solid Lipid Nanoparticles for Delivery of RNA.
With his appointments, Professor Langguth joins a highly exclusive group reaching from Yokohama in the east to San Francisco in the west. Here, world-leading researchers, the high ranks of Big Pharma and several Nobel Prize winners meet. The list is best described as a Who's Who of global pharmacy, which gained even more luster with today’s ceremony.
“A good foundation when choosing a new Honorary Doctor is an already established and fruitful alliance where both parties see great added value in further joint work. With Professor Langguth, we are convinced that we have made an excellent choice, and having officially welcomed him to our faculty today, we look forward to continuing our close cooperation,” states Mathias Hallberg, Dean of the Faculty of Pharmacy.
The faculty’s representatives getting ready for the ceremony
Conferrer Luke Odell all set to deliver in Latin
The Winter Conferment Ceremony is a well-attended tradition in Uppsala
Vice-Chancellor Anders Hagfeldt welcomes to the Conferment Ceremony
Negotium perficiendum est • Mission Accomplished
Following the ceremony, the festivities continue at Uppsala Castle
See video about the Conferment Ceremony at Uppsala University
Facts
Excerpts from the Faculty motivation:
Dr Peter Langguth is Professor in Pharmaceutical Technology and Biopharmaceutics at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz in Germany. He has conducted research on various types of innovative and advanced dosage forms, with a focus on optimising drug delivery. He has served as Dean, received international awards and held key positions within Germany’s pharmaceutical community.
Langguth has authored over 290 scientific papers that have significantly influenced the development of biopharmaceutics and galenic pharmacy internationally, including a landmark publication in Nature on RNA-based immuno-oncological therapy. Over the past decade, he has made major contributions to the development of lipid-based nanoparticles for mRNA delivery. At Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, he built a GMP manufacturing laboratory that provides the manufacture and translation of novel delivery forms from preclinical phase to clinical studies in human volunteers and patients.
Professor Langguth has collaborated with Uppsala University for several decades. Within the large IMI project OrBiTo, he worked closely with the university for over eight years. He has also collaborated with the Faculty of Pharmacy through research and advanced education. This exchange has greatly contributed to the internationalisation of the Faculty and to the development of doctoral education.
Contact
Mathias Hallberg, Dean
Faculty of Pharmacy
Mathias.Hallberg@farmbio.uu.se
Luke Odell, Professor
Faculty of Pharmacy
Luke.Odell@ilk.uu.se
text: Magnus Alsne, photo: Mikael Wallerstedt, Mathias Hallberg m fl