Anders Hallberg

Anders Hallberg (born 29 April 1945 in Vetlanda) is a Swedish chemist who was rector magnificus of Uppsala University from July 2006 until December 2011.

Hallberg grew up in Tranås and studied at Lund University, where he received his M.Sc. degree in 1969 and his Ph.D. in Chemistry in 1980. His dissertation, Methoxythiophenes and Related Systems (1980), was supervised by Prof. Salo Gronowitz.

Hallberg has worked at Lund University and as assistant professor at The University of Arizona in Tucson and later became Head of Medicinal Chemistry at the pharmaceutical corporation Astra (later merged to become AstraZeneca) in Lund. He was appointed professor of Medicinal chemistry at Uppsala University in 1990, became Head of the Department of Organic Pharmaceutical Chemistry in 1991 and served as Dean for Research and Dean of the Faculty of Pharmacy until he was appointed Rector magnificus and president of Uppsala University in 2006.

Anders Hallberg was elected a member of the Royal Society of Sciences in Uppsala 1994, of the Royal Academy of Arts and Sciences in Uppsala in 2004, of the Royal Physiographic Society in Lund in 2005, of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences in 2006, and of the Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences in 2007. Since 2009 he is also member of the Board of Åbo Akademi, Finland.

Anders Hallbergs research is devoted to finding new pharmaceuticals via fast chemistry to combat infections diseases such as HIV, the HCV (Hepatitis C virus) and Malaria as well as finding new therapies for cardio-vascular disorders.

His research encompasses a range of protein targets of pharmaceutical relevance, including proteases and G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs). One of the primary themes is to identify selective low molecular weight ligands for these targets. Strategies are developed for both the design and for the synthesis of small, drug-like molecules. Lead compounds are optimized using computer-aided techniques and are preferentially synthesized using high-speed chemistry and efficient transition metal-catalyzed reactions developed. Major indications that are addressed are infections caused by HIV and HCV (Hepatitis C Virus) as well as the infectious disease Malaria. In addition, basic research is conducted to identify novel ligands that interfere with proteins in the renin/angiotensin system. The first drug-like selective and potent angiotensin II, type II receptor agonist with a high oral bioavailability was recently discovered.

Anders Hallberg has published approximately 250 articles in international journals and filed several patents.

As Rector magnificus of Uppsala University Anders Hallberg strongly promoted high priority areas including genomics / proteomics, energy research, research on peace and democracy. He was engaged in building and strengthening international relations, in particular with Asia.

Hallberg was succeeded as Vice-chancellor by Eva Åkesson on 1 January 2012.

Controversy

On February 8, 2007, two chaired professors of mathematics at Uppsala University resigned from their positions, after a lengthy period of conflict at the Mathematics Institute, and received 2.2 million SEK each. The professors were asked to resign by Anders Hallberg, and opinions differ as to whether they were duly cautioned by the rector, or whether they were inappropriately forced into resigning. A number of distinguished mathematicians criticised Hallberg's actions.

Anders Hallberg has received several awards and prizes.

• The Fabian Gyllenberg Award from the Royal Physiographic Society in Lund, for best PhD thesis in chemistry (over a three-year period) in Lund
• Senior Individual Grant Award to Outstanding Senior Scientist (SSF)
• First recipient of the National Swedish Prize in Organic Chemistry (The Holmquist Prize)
• The Oscar Carlsson Medal for Excellence from the Swedish Chemical Society
• The Best Teacher Prize 2006 from the Pharmaceutical Student Union, Uppsala University
• Honorary Member of the Småland Student Nation and the Upland Student Nation in Uppsala
• Honorary Member of Rotary International
• Honorary Member of Uppsala University Choir, Allmänna Sången.
• In 2009 he became Doctor honoris causa (Faculty of Medicine), Université de Sherbrooke, Canada.
• Honorary doctorate (Pharmacie Doctor honoris causa) from the Faculty of Pharmacy at Uppsala University in January 2014.

For his achievements as Rector magnificus and president of Uppsala University, he was awarded H. M. The King's Medal for significant contributions to higher education and research in June 2008.