Dale Boger is a distinguished Organic Chemist and the Richard and Alice Cramer Professor of Chemistry at The Scripps Research Institute, where he has been a faculty member since 1991. He previously held professorships at Purdue University from 1985 to 1991 and the University of Kansas from 1979 to 1985, establishing himself as a rising star in synthetic chemistry early in his career. Boger earned his B.S. in Chemistry with highest distinction from the University of Kansas in 1975 before completing his Ph.D. at Harvard University in 1980 under Nobel laureate E.J. Corey. His leadership at Scripps included serving as Chairman of the Department of Chemistry from 2012 to 2018, during which he significantly shaped the institute's research direction and academic programs. Throughout his career, Boger has maintained a steadfast commitment to advancing the frontiers of chemical synthesis while mentoring generations of chemists.
Professor Boger's research program centers on synthetic organic chemistry and chemical biology, with particular emphasis on the total synthesis of natural products, development of innovative synthetic methodologies, and medicinal chemistry applications. He has made seminal contributions to improving glycopeptide antibiotics and understanding DNA-drug interactions of naturally occurring antitumor antibiotics, pioneering approaches that address critical medical challenges including antibiotic resistance. His laboratory was the first to extend the total synthesis of glycopeptide antibiotics to redesigned vancomycins, creating novel compounds capable of overcoming vancomycin resistance mechanisms that threaten modern medicine. Through collaborative efforts involving biological data acquisition, NMR studies of compound-target complexes, and molecular modeling, Boger's work bridges synthetic chemistry with biological applications to create practical solutions for human health. His research has yielded numerous high-impact publications that have fundamentally advanced the field of medicinal chemistry and natural product synthesis.
As Editor-in-Chief of Bioorganic and Medicinal Chemistry Letters from 1990 to 2015, Boger significantly influenced the dissemination of chemical biology research worldwide, establishing standards for publication in this interdisciplinary field. His exceptional contributions to chemistry have been recognized through election to both the National Academy of Sciences in 2014 and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2006, as well as receiving prestigious awards including the Tetrahedron Prize in 2020. Boger's NIH Merit Award from 2018 to 2026 underscores the continued relevance and impact of his research program in addressing pressing challenges in antibiotic development. He remains actively engaged in mentoring junior scientists and fostering collaborative research that pushes the boundaries of chemical synthesis to create next-generation therapeutics. Currently focusing on innovative approaches to combat antimicrobial resistance, Boger continues to lead his field with the same vision and excellence that have characterized his distinguished career.
