James Fraser Honored with Carl Brändén Award from The Protein Society

Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences Chair and Ernest L. Prien Professor James Fraser, PhD, has been awarded the 2025 Carl Brändén Award by The Protein Society. The award recognizes outstanding protein scientists who have also made exceptional contributions to education or service in the field.  

Fraser was honored for pioneering advances in room-temperature X-ray data collection techniques and ensemble modeling methods, which have enabled deeper understanding and engineering of proteins. He has also been a champion of collaborative, project-based learning and has advocated for greater accessibility in scientific publishing.  

“James is a brilliant scientist and education leader whose work continues to shape the future of protein science,” said Dean Kathy Giacomini, PhD, BSPharm. “This prestigious award recognizes not only to his research, but also to his commitment to scientific innovation and inclusion.”  

At UCSF, Fraser plays a vital leadership role in coordinating the School of Pharmacy’s broad research efforts. He works to catalyze collaboration across laboratories, departments, and institutions both within and beyond the university. As chair of the Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, he is also committed to improving how research is evaluated in hiring and promotion decisions and aligning the department’s research agenda with the career goals of staff and learners.  

Fraser’s research focuses on discovering the macromolecular structure and dynamics of proteins — defining the conformational states essential for their function and understanding the transitions between these states. His work bridges structural biology, biophysics, and drug discovery, with implications for a wide range of therapeutic areas.  

He will be recognized at The Protein Society’s 39th Annual Symposium, to be held June 26–29, 2025, in San Francisco, where he will deliver a presentation alongside other award recipients. Fraser says, “It will be an honor to give the award lecture in June, especially because the celebration will occur right here in San Francisco.” 

Fraser joins fellow UCSF faculty member William DeGrado, PhD, a professor in the Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry  and the Toby Herfindal Presidential Professor of Entrepreneurship and Innovation, as a past recipient of the Carl Brändén Award.