Professor Dr. Supa Hannongbua
CSEA Pioneer Award 2025 Recipient
Professor Dr. Supa Hannongbua stands as one of Thailand’s most distinguished scientists in the field of computational and theoretical chemistry. Her career spans more than three decades of academic leadership, pioneering research, and international collaboration that has significantly shaped the chemical sciences in Asia and beyond.
She earned her Ph.D. from the University of Innsbruck, Austria, and completed postdoctoral studies in 3D-QSAR drug design. Her areas of interest include protein-based drug design, natural products, bioinformatics, cheminformatics, conducting polymers, polyaromatic hydrocarbons, and nanomaterials. Her current drug discovery efforts target diseases such as HIV, dengue, Alzheimer’s disease, bacterial infections and malaria. She has developed three integrated research platforms:
- Computational Drug Discovery Platform – covering 2D/3D-QSAR, quantum chemical calculations, virtual screening, de novo drug design, cheminformatics databases, molecular dynamics simulations, and ADME/Tox prediction.
- Biological-Physicochemical Validation Platform – involving biophysical techniques such as enzyme assays, X-ray crystallography, NMR spectroscopy, enzyme kinetics, and isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) to elucidate ligand–receptor interactions.
- Polymeric Materials & Optical Technology Platform – focusing on the development of fluorescence energy transfer materials for biological assays, enabling high-throughput screening and, more recently, biosensor development for viral infection detection and advanced optical materials.
She has authored over 218 scientific publications, seven book chapters, and holds a U.S. patent (Patent No. US 10,889,566 B2).
With a strong belief that sustainable development lies in nurturing competent new generations of researchers, she has dedicated herself to mentoring master’s and doctoral students, as well as postdoctoral researchers. She has consistently supported their growth and self-development, with many of them going on to become leaders in both the public and private sectors. She has mentored a new generation of scientists through her academic leadership and international engagement. Her ability to bridge disciplines and borders has elevated the visibility of Asian science on the global stage. She has served as a role model for women in STEM and a tireless advocate for scientific collaboration in the Asia-Pacific region.
Throughout her career, Professor Hannongbua has been recognized with numerous prestigious accolades that reflect her scientific excellence, commitment to education, and impact on the research community. These honors include the Young Scientist Award (1997), the TWAS Young Scientist Award in Thailand (2002), the L’Oréal for Women in Science Award (2006), and recognition as a TRF Senior Research Scholar (2007–2014). In 2022, she was inducted as an Associate Member of the Royal Academy, a testament to her scientific merit and national standing.
Her leadership contributions are equally remarkable. She has served in key roles including: Vice President, Chemical Society of Thailand (2007–2015), President, Chemical Society of Thailand (2017–2022), Secretary-General, Federation of Asian Chemical Societies (FACS) (2009–2011), President, Computational Science and Engineering Association (CSEA) (2014-2016), President, Federation of Asian Chemical Societies (FACS) (2025–present), Associate Member, Committee on Publications and Cheminformatics Data Standards (CPCDS), IUPAC (2023–present), and Board Member, Asia-Pacific Association of Theoretical and Computational Chemistry (APATCC) (2013–present)
Professor Supa Hannongbua is renowned for her humility, kindness, and inquisitive nature—traits she has consistently demonstrated since childhood. She enjoyed spending her free time in the library, nurturing a lifelong love for reading. Her interests extend beyond science to include history, music, and the arts. Personal Life:
Professor Supa balances her scientific career with a warm family life. She is married to Professor Dr. Supot Hannongbua (CSEA Pioneer Award 2023 recipient), and they have two children. Together, they are a remarkable couple in the field of computational chemistry.
