Distinguished Professor Cynthia Burrows was awarded the endowed Rosenblatt Prize by President Ruth Watkins “to honor excellence in teaching, research, and administrative efforts, collectively or individually, on behalf of the University. The Rosenblatt imprint in Utah is clear. It is a standard of excellence and the appreciation of achievement. It is the stamp of beneficence and the affirmation that great efforts deserve reward and cultivation.” As the first tenured woman professor at the U’s Chemistry Department, Burrows has continued to be a pioneer in her research, teaching, and development efforts.

Dr. Burrows has served as the chair of the Department of Chemistry for the past six years while still running her research lab where she focuses on chemical modifications to DNA and RNA bases. Some of her major projects include: mechanistic organic chemistry of guanine oxidation in nucleosides and oligonucleotides, biochemistry of DNA processing enzymes with damaged DNA, photochemistry of redox-active DNA and RNA bases, nanopore sequencing of DNA damage, and more that you can read about on her faculty page.