Imre Molnár Named 2025 Tswiett-Nernst Award Laureate for Contributions to Separation Science

Imre Molnár, president of the Molnár-Institute for Applied Chromatography, has been named one of two 2025 laureates of the Tswiett-Nernst European Award for outstanding achievement in the separation sciences.

Dr. Imre Molnár © Molnár-Institute for Applied Chromatography

The award was established in 2010 by the European Society for Separation Sciences (EuSSS). On the dissolution of the EuSSS, the award was transferred to the Central European Group for Separation Sciences (CEGSS). It recognizes significant scientific contributions to the field of separation science, including advancements in theory, methodology, and practical applications.

The Tswiett-Nernst European Award is named in honor of Mikhail Tswett, who introduced chromatography in the early 20th century, and Walther Nernst, a Nobel Prize-winning physical chemist. It is intended to highlight and support excellence in the scientific study and application of separation techniques across Europe.

Past recipients of the Tswiett-Nernst Award include many highly celebrated figures in the field of separation sciences, such as Professor Peter J. Schoenmakers (Amsterdam, the Netherlands) and Professor Wolfgang Lindner (Vienna, Austria). Schoenmakers is known for his work in multidimensional liquid chromatography (LC). He has been recognized with numerous awards, including the John H. Knox Medal from the Royal Society of Chemistry (2014), the Csaba Horváth Memorial Award (2015), and the LCGC International’s Lifetime Achievement Award (2023). This award honors an outstanding professional for a lifetime of contributions to the advancement of chromatographic techniques and applications. Lindner served as a professor of analytical chemistry at the University of Vienna from 1996 until his retirement in 2012. He has made significant contributions in LC and the development of chiral drugs. Heis also a winner of LCGC’s Lifetime Achievement in Chromatography Award (2024). For a full list of all the Tswiett-Nernst Award winners, please click here.

Molnár will receive the award during a formal ceremony at the 29th International Symposium on Separation Sciences (ISSS), which will take place in Belgrade, Serbia, on September 25, 2025. He will be presented with the Tswiett-Nernst diploma and statuette as part of the event.

Molnár commented: "I am deeply honored to be named a laureate of the Tswiett-Nernst European Award. This recognition is not just a personal achievement but a testament to the power of collaboration and innovation in the scientific community. Over the years, my work with DryLab and in the field of chromatography has been driven by the desire to make complex analytical challenges more accessible and to empower researchers to achieve precision and reliability in their work. This award is a reflection of the incredible progress we have made together, and I am grateful to be part of such a transformative journey in analytical science."

With a career spanning several decades, Molnár has worked extensively in chromatographic method development, particularly in the application of computer-assisted tools to improve method design and optimization. He is the founder and president of the Molnár-Institute, based in Berlin, Germany, which focuses on applied research and training in chromatography.

Molnár is known for his work in developing and promoting software-assisted approaches to liquid chromatography, including the DryLab platform, which models and visualizes method parameters to support method development in high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). This approach has been adopted in various sectors, including the pharmaceutical and chemical industries, to streamline analytical workflows and enhance regulatory compliance.

Molnár has also contributed to the wider scientific community through lectures, publications, and participation in professional events.

The ISSS, where the award will be presented, is an annual international event that brings together scientists, researchers, and industry professionals in separation science. It aims to highlight both the fundamental and practical aspects of separation and detection methods, as well as sample preparation and related or integrated miniaturized techniques for analytical, preparative, and industrial purposes. The 2025 edition in Belgrade will include a range of technical sessions, workshops, and plenary lectures covering the latest developments in analytical and preparative separation technologies.