The Chemical Institute of Canada has announced the winner of the 2026 CSC – X-Chem Research Excellence Award: Professor Andrew Beharry of the Department of Chemical & Physical Sciences, University of Toronto Mississauga.
Dr. Andrew Beharry obtained his B.Sc. from York University in Chemistry and Biology and earned his Ph.D. at the University of Toronto in biological chemistry with Prof. Andrew Woolley. He was a Human Frontiers Science Program Postdoctoral Fellow at Stanford University with Prof. Eric Kool, then in 2016 obtained his independent position at the University of Toronto Mississauga.
The X-Chem Research Excellence Award is presented to a scientist residing in Canada who has made a distinguished contribution to medicinally relevant organic or biophysical chemistry while working in Canada.
Prof. Beharry’s research program lies at the interface of synthetic organic chemistry, biochemistry, biophysics, and cell biology. His lab develops small molecule fluorescent chemosensors for enzymes involved in anticancer drug resistance and for fluorescence-guided surgery of tumours, as well as novel photoactive therapeutic agents (e.g., photosensitizers) against cancers.
Chemistry Stories talked to Beharry about his work, his experiences battling cancer both as a chemist and as a patient, and the scientific enthusiasm recognized by this award.
Could you say a little, in practical terms, about the portion of your body of work this recognizes?
In photodynamic therapy, light delivery to tumours still remains a challenge. Over the years, we made several photoactive compounds that are highly potent, meaning only low doses of light are requred to elicit cell death, in comparison to conventional photosensitizers. We have also developed cancer selective dark reactive oxygen species generators which perform like photodynamic therapy, but without the limitations of light.
In the fluorescent sensor world, we have come a long way with our small molecule carboxylesterase 2 sensor, which we recently successfully applied in biopsied pancreatic cancer patient samples. We hope to achieve similar success with our sensor for DNA repair for brain tumour patients.
What led you into the particular area of chemistry where you’re being recognized?
My interest in medicinal chemistry, specifically cancer research, came from my own diagnosis of cancer in 2013. Having gone through the toxic treatments that come with short and long-term side effects, and going through the anxiety/frustrations as to whether those treatments would actually work in the end, led me to use my training in chemical biology/photochemistry to contribute to developing milder but more effective cancer therapeutics, as well as more simple and accurate ways to predict drug response in patients.
How has this award been important to you personally?
This award is meaningful because it acknowledges my scientific enthusiasm, ambition and devotion to my research program over the 9 years I’ve been a professor.
What's next for you and your research group?
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. Though I am still learning to be innovative in such a way, given that the reward is high, my motivation keeps driving me to get there one day.
I plan to challenge myself by designing new molecules and strategies that kill cancer in different ways than what is currently out there.
-Andrew Beharry
Beharry will receive the award at The Canadian Societies for Chemistry and Chemical Engineering 2026 Conferences and Exhibition (x2026), where he will also present a talk on his work.
Acknowledgements: Grants from the Cancer Research Society, American Brain Tumour Association and New Frontiers in Research Fund – Exploration have given us the largest support over the years, helping us go from molecular design, all the way to applications in cancer biology.