Winners and Nominees of the Nils Foss Excellence Prize

Winners 2018

Robert David Hall is awarded the Nils Foss Excellence Prize
Robert David Hall is Professor of Plant Metabolomics at Wageningen University & Research. Robert David Hall is a pioneer in developing and establishing metabolomics technologies to study the metabolic profiles of plants, with a particular emphasis on crop species. The aim of the research is to provide us with a better understanding of the biochemical composition of plant and food materials and to design new strategies for the development of improved food products of a higher quality.

Klavs Martin Sørensen is awarded the Nils Foss Talent Prize
Klavs Martin Sørensen is Associate Professor at the department of food science, chemometrics and analytical technology at the University of Copenhagen. Klavs Martin Sørensen specialises in on-line analysis and analysis automation, and holds a PhD in process analytical technology and on-line spectroscopic measurements of chemical meat quality. Klavs possesses extensive knowledge of applied solutions, and brings with him a talent for innovative thinking, which has already lead to significant advances in the industry.

Winners 2017

Frank M. Aarestrup is awarded the Nils Foss Excellence Prize
One of Frank M. Aarestrup’s most important contributions has been to map out and prove that the use of antibiotics for animals actually has consequences and that we can do something about it by reducing the amount of antibiotics. With a background as a veterinarian, Frank M. Aarestrup started his work in the laboratory, researching bacteria in mastitis, and his journey has then taken him to the area of antimicrobial resistance and the spread of infectious diseases on a global scale. Currently working with building a global framework for surveillance of infectious diseases, Frank M. Aarestrup is making a true impact on global food safety and human health.

Read more about Frank M. Aarestrup

Kristian Holst Laursen is awarded the Nils Foss Talent Prize
Kristian Holst Laursen's work with identifying and treating manganese deficiency in plants has had led to several international ventures, and his passion for solving local agricultural challenges has helped farmers all over the world. His latest research works to safeguard organic food producers by looking at plant authenticity, which can define and eliminate food fraud.

Read more about Kristian Holst Laursen

Winners 2016

Professor Rasmus Bro is awarded the Nils Foss Excellence Prize
Professor Rasmus Bro’s work includes the introduction of new mathematical methods to help make better use of the vast amounts of valuable data generated by modern analytical instrument platforms in use in the medical, pharmaceutical and food & feed industries. He has also pioneered a new mathematical approach to chemical analysis to aid environmental monitoring and has developed a revolutionary concept, Biocontour, for predicting the risk of developing breast cancer based on a blood sample test.

Dr Bekzod Khakimov is awarded the Nils Foss Talent Prize
31 year old Bekzod Khakimov has a PhD in metabolomics from 2013 and has continued as a post doc to build up his ‘Foodomics’ lab at Copenhagen University, a database of food compounds called the Copenhagen Open Metabolite DatabaSe (COMDAS) for facilitating easy assignments of food metabolites. Metabolomics is an exciting new area of food science with positive implications for future food production. Read more

Nils Foss, founder

Throughout his career, Nils Foss was an enthusiastic exponent of innovation and entrepreneurship within the field of analytical technology and its application to the enhancement of quality and productivity in food, feed and agriculture.

To honour Nils Foss’ lifelong achievements, FOSS will award an Excellence Prize to recognise a globally-respected scientist for world-class innovative research. Additionally, a Talent Prize will be awarded to a young and promising scientist.

Through the Nils Foss Excellence Prize and Talent Prize, FOSS acknowledges the role of the food, feed and agricultural community in the innovative application of technology towards improved value and sustainability in the food supply chain. With the Prizes, FOSS wants to further stimulate research in the agricultural and food sector.