M.J. Buerger Award: 

Stephen K. Burley

RCSB Protein Data Bank

The ACA is pleased to present the 2027 M.J. Buerger Award to Dr. Stephen K. Burley in recognition of a distinguished career of exceptional contributions to structural biology, crystallography, and scientific data infrastructure.

Dr. Burley has made landmark contributions to structural science through pioneering studies of biologically important macromolecules, leadership in structure-guided drug discovery, and the determination of more than 1,200 structures deposited in the Protein Data Bank. As Director of the RCSB Protein Data Bank since 2014, he has guided the continued evolution of one of the world's most important scientific data resources, ensuring broad access to structural information that supports research, education, and innovation across the life sciences.

His vision and leadership have expanded the impact of the Protein Data Bank through modern data infrastructure, advanced visualization and analysis tools, and integration of emerging computational structure models, helping to ensure that structural science remains central to discoveries in biology, medicine, and biotechnology.

Margaret C. Etter Early Career Award:

Edward C. Twomey

Johns Hopkins University

Dr. Twomey of the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine has been selected as the recipient of the 2027 Margaret C. Etter Early Career Award.

Dr. Twomey is being recognized for his groundbreaking contributions to structural biology and neuroscience through the innovative application of cryo-electron microscopy to reveal the molecular mechanisms underlying neurotransmission. His research has provided fundamental insights into the structure, function, and regulation of glutamate receptors, advancing our understanding of synaptic signaling and opening new avenues for therapeutic discovery. In addition to these scientific achievements, Dr. Twomey has developed novel time-resolved cryo-EM methodologies that have expanded the ability of researchers to visualize dynamic biological processes at near-atomic resolution.

The Awards Committee was particularly impressed by the breadth and impact of Dr. Twomey's accomplishments at this early stage of his career, as well as his commitment to mentorship, education, and the advancement of structural science. His work exemplifies the innovation, creativity, and scientific excellence celebrated by the Margaret C. Etter Early Career Award.

Bertram Eugene Warren Diffraction Physics Award:

Branton Campbell

Brigham Young University

The ACA is pleased to present the 2027 Bertram Eugene Warren Diffraction Physics Award to Professor Branton J. Campbell of Brigham Young University in recognition of his recent development of powerful algebraic methods for identifying rigid-unit modes in framework materials and for making these methods broadly accessible through the ISOTROPY Software Suite.

Professor Campbell's work has established fundamental connections between rigid-unit modes and group-representation theory, enabling exhaustive and efficient analysis of framework structures using diffraction data. Through the development of the ISOTILT software package, these advances are now readily available to researchers studying a wide range of materials, including zeolites, superconductors, piezoelectrics, and hybrid perovskites.

This work is transforming the way scientists investigate materials whose properties are governed by the behavior of rigid structural units and continues Professor Campbell's long record of impactful contributions to crystallographic theory, diffraction analysis, and structural science software development.