University of Alberta professor David Wishart has been awarded the 2025 Gerhard Herzberg Canada Gold Medal for Science and Engineering for his exceptional contributions in the field of metabolomics.
Wishart, a Distinguished University Professor in the Faculty of Science, is a leader in the study of metabolites, molecules involved in the chemical reactions of metabolism. Over three decades, he has led innovations that have transformed disease detection, nutrition science and environmental health.
His team developed the first automated metabolomics tests, created the world’s largest database of human metabolites and launched MetaboAnalyst, a widely used data tool. He also founded The Metabolomics Innovation Centre, Canada’s hub for metabolomics research.
Wishart’s recent work harnesses AI to uncover hidden environmental toxins and build tools for the emerging field of exposomics.
The Herzberg Gold Medal is awarded by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council. Commonly called Canada's top award for science and engineering, the gold medal comes with a research prize of $1 million over five years. In 1991, famed U of A chemist Raymond Lemieux became the first recipient of the prize. A decade later, celebrated water ecologist David Schindler became the second U of A researcher to take home the medal.