University of California, Berkeley, biochemist Hiroshi Nikaido, M.D., has received the 14th annual Bristol-Myers Squibb "Freedom to Discover" Award for Distinguished Achievement in Infectious Diseases Research.

Nikaido, a professor of biochemistry and molecular biology at UC Berkeley, was recognized for his groundbreaking contributions to understanding the mechanisms of bacterial resistance to antibiotics and insights that have led to the design of more effective antibiotics.

The award, which consists of a $50,000 cash prize and a silver commemorative medallion, is part of the Bristol-Myers Squibb Freedom to Discover Unrestricted Biomedical Research Grants and Awards Program, which was initiated in 1977. It is awarded annually in each of six therapeutic areas by Bristol-Myers Squibb, a global pharmaceutical and health care products company. Nikaido will receive his award at a dinner to be held in New York City on Oct. 14.

Read the complete article at the UC Berkeley NewCenter.