A chemist at the University of Toronto Mississauga has been recognized as one of the country's leading early-career researchers in medicinal chemistry.
Andrew Beharry, an associate professor in UTM's department of chemical and physical sciences, has received the 2026 X-Chem Research Excellence Award from the Chemical Institute of Canada, the university announced on Jan. 8.
What the award recognizes
The award honours a scientist working in Canada who has made a distinguished contribution to medicinally relevant organic or biophysical chemistry. According to the institute, nominees must be within 12 years of starting their first independent research position, which makes it a marker of a rising career rather than a lifetime achievement prize.
Molecules that light up, and molecules that fight cancer
Beharry's lab works where several fields meet: synthetic organic chemistry, biochemistry, biophysics and cell biology.
One focus is building small fluorescent molecules, known as chemosensors, that glow in the presence of particular enzymes. The lab designs them to detect enzymes involved in cancer's resistance to drugs, and to help surgeons see tumours more clearly during operations, an approach called fluorescence-guided surgery.
The other focus is developing new light-activated compounds that could be used as cancer treatments.
This award is meaningful because it acknowledges my scientific enthusiasm, ambition and devotion to my research program over the nine years I've been a professor.
— Andrew Beharry, U of T Mississauga
Beharry said he wants to push his work further in the years ahead.
Going forward, I plan to challenge myself by designing new molecules and strategies that kill cancer in completely different ways than what is currently out there.
— Andrew Beharry, U of T Mississauga
Research close to home
Beharry joined the University of Toronto Mississauga, on Mississauga Road in the city's west end, as an independent researcher in 2016, after a postdoctoral fellowship at Stanford University. His lab's work is carried out on the campus.
The X-Chem award is one of several honours the Chemical Institute of Canada hands out each year to chemists across the country. Beharry is listed as the 2026 recipient on the institute's awards page. The university highlighted the honour through U of T Celebrates, its running list of awards won by faculty, students, staff and alumni.
