Dr. Antony Williams | Cheminformatics Awards | Outstanding Scientist Award

Dr. Antony Williams, US Environmental Protection Agency, United States

Dr. Antony John Williams is a distinguished scientist, cheminformatics expert, and advocate for open-access chemistry. Currently serving as a Cheminformatician at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure, he has played a pivotal role in developing informatics solutions for chemical safety evaluation, including leading the CompTox Chemicals Dashboard project. Previously, he held leadership positions at the Royal Society of Chemistry and ChemSpider, where he contributed significantly to advancing cheminformatics and community engagement in open data initiatives. With a Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of London and a B.Sc. in Chemistry from Liverpool University, Dr. Williams has an extensive background in analytical chemistry, NMR spectroscopy, and software development. He has authored over 300 publications, delivered more than 850 conference presentations, and written multiple books on cheminformatics and NMR spectroscopy. A Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry and recipient of numerous prestigious awards, including the Microsoft eScience Jim Gray Award, Dr. Williams continues to drive innovation in chemical informatics, data accessibility, and scientific collaboration

Professional Profile:

ORCID

Summary of Suitability

Based on Antony J. Williams’ extensive contributions to cheminformatics, computational chemistry, and environmental toxicology, he is highly suitable for the Research for Outstanding Scientist Award. His career spans academia, industry, and government agencies, showcasing innovation in cheminformatics, data management, and spectroscopy.

Education 🎓

Ph.D. in Chemistry – University of London, UK (1988)
- Thesis: Applications of High Pressure NMR to the Studies of Alkyl Chains
B.Sc. Hons I in Chemistry – Liverpool University, UK (1985)
- Thesis: NMR Studies of Electron Exchange in Vitamin E Related Systems

Work Experience 💼

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) – USA (2015-Present)

Cheminformatician, Center for Computational Toxicology and Exposure
Principal Investigator focused on cheminformatics and data access
Initiated and managed the CompTox Chemicals Dashboard for 6 years
Leads the development of 10 informatics prototypes for computational toxicology

Royal Society of Chemistry (2009-2015)

Vice-President of Strategic Development & Cheminformatics Manager
Managed cheminformatics projects, including Open PHACTS, PharmaSea, and the UK National Chemical Database Service

ChemZoo (2007-2009) 🧪

President of ChemZoo – Developed and managed ChemSpider, an Open Access chemistry data platform
Expanded ChemSpider to 81 million chemical structures and 90,000+ daily users

Advanced Chemistry Development (ACD/Labs) (1997-2007)

VP of Scientific Development and Chief Science Officer (2004-2007)
Led company growth, increasing revenue 10x
Managed sales, marketing, product management, and customer support

Eastman Kodak Company (1992-1997)

Managed a $3.2M laboratory budget and a team of 9 NMR spectroscopists
Co-designed a web-based Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS)

University of Ottawa, Canada (1990-1992) 🎓

NMR Facility Director

National Research Council, Canada (1988-1990) 🏛️

Postdoctoral Fellow – Research on Single Crystal Electron Paramagnetic Resonance

Awards & Honors 🏆

Scientific & Technological Achievement Award (STAA) Level III – EPA (2024)
OLEM Bronze Medal Award – CWA Hazardous Substance Planning Team (2023)
Office of Water Award for Science & Technology Achievement (2023)
National Honor Award for Collaborative Problem-Solving (2022)
EPA Gold Medal – National PFAS Testing Strategy Team (2021)
Microsoft eScience Jim Gray Award (2012) 🖥️
Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) (2009) 🔬
North Carolina ACS Distinguished Speaker Award (2016) 🎤
University of London Bourne Medal – Best Chemistry Thesis (1988) 🏅
Morris Ranger Undergraduate Scholarship (1983) 📖

Publication Top Notes:

Abstract Sifter version 8: Focus on the chemical literature [version 1; peer review: awaiting peer review]

NIST Mass Spectral Libraries in the Context of the Circular Economy of Plastics

Developing Chemical Signatures for Categories of Household Consumer Products Using Suspect Screening Analysis

A Cheminformatics Workflow to Select Representative TSCA Chemicals for New Approach Methodology (NAM) Screening

Expanding PFAS Identification with Transformation Product Libraries: Nontargeted Analysis Reveals Biotransformation Products in Mice

Effects of pyrolysis temperature on the photooxidation of water-soluble fraction of wheat straw biochar based on 21 T FT-ICR mass spectrometry

Prof Dr. Se Bok Jang, Pusan National University, South Korea

Dr. Se Bok Jang is a Professor in the Department of Molecular Biology at Pusan National University, where he has been a faculty member since 2002. He holds a Ph.D. in Structural Crystallography from Pusan National University and completed postdoctoral research in Structural Biology at prestigious institutions such as the University of California, Berkeley, and Utah State University. His research focuses on understanding the three-dimensional structures of proteins, particularly those involved in transcription regulation, tumor suppression, and signal transduction. Dr. Jang’s work is critical for the development of molecular-level interventions in disease mechanisms, including cancer.

Professional Profile:

Summary of Suitability for the Best Researcher Award

Researcher Profile: The candidate has an impressive academic background in Structural Crystallography and Structural Biology, with a Ph.D. from Pusan National University, South Korea (1992-1995), and postdoctoral experience at prestigious institutions including the University of California, Berkeley, and Cornell University. They have served as a professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Structural Biology at Pusan National University since 2002, leading a research group dedicated to elucidating protein structures and their biochemical functions.

Education

Ph.D. in Structural Crystallography
Pusan National University, Korea (1992-1995)
Postdoctoral Research in Structural Biology
University of California, Berkeley, USA (1996-1998)
Postdoctoral Research in Structural Biology
Utah State University, USA (1998-2000)

Work Experience

Research Assistant Professor
Pohang University of Science and Technology, Korea (2000-2002)
Professor, Department of Biochemistry and Structural Biology
Pusan National University, Korea (2002-Present)
- Formerly served as Assistant Professor (2002-2006) and Associate Professor (2006-2010) in the Department of Molecular Biology.
Visiting Fellow
Weill Medical College, Cornell University, USA (2008-2009)
Director of Interdisciplinary Research Program of Bioinformatics
Pusan National University (2005-2007)
Head of the Department of Molecular Biology
Pusan National University (2013-2015, 2021-2022)
Director of the Life Systems Research Institute
Pusan National University (2023-Present)
Adjunct Professor
Pusan National University Hospital (2013-Present)