Computational chemist Pavel Hobza receives the Medal of Merit from the President of the Czech Republic
Pavel Hobza, one of the most frequently cited Czech researchers and a world-renowned computational chemist who also contributes to the REFRESH project at VŠB-TUO within the Materials-Envi Lab (MEL), received the Medal of Merit yesterday at Prague Castle. Czech President Petr Pavel honored him for his contributions to the country in the field of science.
“I am truly delighted that Pavel Hobza has received this award. Throughout my scientific career, I have perhaps never met a more passionate researcher, with such extraordinary energy, curiosity, and a constant stream of new ideas. I am convinced that his contributions to our understanding of chemical bonds and intermolecular interactions will be valued by future generations of scientists. Pavel and I have shared many years of scientific collaboration, numerous joint projects and publications, but above all, a similar outlook on science and life. Pavel has faced many difficult periods, both professionally and personally, yet he has always managed to stay steadfast, maintain perspective, and remain loyal to his friends and principles,” said Radek Zbořil, Scientific Director of MEL.
Professor Hobza earned international recognition for discovering a new type of hydrogen bond that helps explain the structure of biomolecules. Together with his colleagues, he developed new quantum-mechanics-based scoring functions that enable the prediction of the efficacy of new drugs. His research has advanced our understanding of interactions within biological systems, bringing them from theoretical models into the level of practical observation. He described and documented so-called sigma holes, which create a positive charge in a halogen atom and enable molecules that theoretically should not bind to do so. This represents a significant breakthrough not only in our fundamental understanding of how atoms form bonds within molecules, but also in practical materials chemistry.
“It was a great honor and pleasure to nominate Pavel Hobza for a state award, and I would also like to thank the rector for supporting the nomination. I am constantly amazed by the energy and enthusiasm with which Pavel continues to develop new scientific ideas and achieve new results. Just a few days ago, we published another joint paper in which we shed light on the nature of hydride hydrogen bonds, which have received little attention so far. I am proud that Pavel is part of REFRESH and our Materials-Envi Lab. I congratulate him wholeheartedly and wish him good health, happiness, and many more brilliant ideas and successes, both in science and in life,” Zbořil added.
This year, on the occasion of the national holiday on October 28, the President of the Czech Republic conferred or awarded a total of fifty-one state honors.
