Richard Bergström and Siew Chai new honorary doctorates at the Faculty of Pharmacy
The Faculty of Pharmacy is awarding honorary doctorates to Richard Bergström, former national vaccine coordinator, and Siew Chai, Associate Professor at Monash University. The promotion will take place in the Uppsala University Main Auditorium Friday 27 January, 2023.
(Image removed) New honorary doctors: Richard Bergström and Siew Chai
Richard Bergström earned his Pharmacy degree in 1988 at Uppsala University’s Faculty of Pharmacy. He has extensive international experience from the pharmaceutical sector, both within authorities, as well as major companies and lobby organisations. During the covid-19 pandemic, Richard Bergström was appointed Sweden's national vaccine coordinator, a role in which he was continuously visible, active, and clear in his communication. Throughout his career, Richard Bergström has maintained close contact with Uppsala University, above all with the Faculty of Pharmacy and its student body, and was recently named Uppsala University Alumnus of the Year 2022.
“My wife's relatives and several of our good friends live in Uppsala, so we travel here quite often. If I'm lucky I have time for a visit to the Medical Products Agency and the Faculty of Pharmacy,” says Richard Bergström, whose next visit to the Biomedical Center will be Wednesday 23 November to give this year's Alumni Lecture.
(Image removed) Chai Lab, Monash University
Siew Chai is Associate Professor at the Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University in Australia. She has already conducted pioneering research early in her career by identifying the macromolecular target of the endogenous cognition enhancer angiotensin IV, a scientific progress that provides possibilities for a completely new form of drugs with conceivable use in dementia diseases such as Alzheimer's. In addition to her extensive scientific output, Siew Chai holds several patents. Since ten years, extensive collaborations are conducted between researchers at Uppsala University and Chai's research group.
“It is obvious that our faculty has made two very wise choices of honorary doctors. Both Richard Bergström and Siew Chai have prominent roles in international pharmacy, and if this will consilidate our already strong ties to them, it will undoubtedly add great value to our entire faculty," states Mathias Hallberg, Dean of the Faculty of Pharmacy.
FACTS
- Honorary doctorate is a title awarded to a person who has done outstanding academic work or in some other way promoted research at the University.
- Each faculty appoints its respective honorary doctorates.
- The honorary doctorate originated at Uppsala in 1839, when the poet P D A Atterbom – professor of aesthetics and modern literature – as the promotor, or conferring officer, managed to have an honorary Master’s degree awarded to an individual.
LEARN MORE
- Honorary Doctors of the Faculty of Pharmacy
- Richard Bergström: from Club Dacke to the eye of the pandemic
- Chai Laboratory online
CONTACT
(Image removed) Mathias Hallberg, Dean
Faculty of Pharmacy
Mathias.Hallberg@farmbio.uu.se
text: Magnus Alsne, photo: Regeringskansliet, Monash University