On Thursday, June 26, 2025, the Baroque Buquoy Palace in Prague was filled with a festive atmosphere. In its representative halls, home to the Embassy of France in the Czech Republic, the traditional Sanofi Award for Pharmacy ceremony took place—an esteemed accolade for young scientists jointly organized by Sanofi, the French Embassy in the Czech Republic, and the French Institute in Prague (Institut français de Prague).
One of the awardees was PharmDr. Martin Juhaščik, Ph.D., a graduate of the doctoral program in Pharmaceutical Technology at the Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Králové, Charles University. He impressed the jury with his research focused on conjugates of sphingolipids with hyaluronic acid and their application to the skin. These conjugates, studied during his doctoral research, have the potential to support the physiological functions of the skin barrier, aid in the treatment of skin disorders, and enable more efficient transport of poorly permeable active substances into the skin. Martin carried out his research within the Skin Barrier Research Group (supervision of Assoc. Prof. Kováčik).
For his work, Martin received a Special Jury Commendation. The award was personally presented by Prof. Jean-Marie Lehn, Nobel Laureate in Chemistry, Stéphane Crouzat, French Ambassador to the Czech Republic, and Rami Mroueh, Director of Sanofi Vaccines Czech Republic.
We warmly congratulate Martin and wish him continued success in his scientific career!
Text: Skin Barrier Research Group
Photo: Eva Kořínková