The Federation of European Biochemical Societies is pleased to announce that Dr. Zrinka Kovarik, nominated by the Croatian Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, is the recipient of the 2025 Israel Pecht Award.
The Israel Pecht Award, established in 2024 on the occasion of the FEBS 60th anniversary, recognises individuals whose remarkable efforts and dedication have greatly enhanced the activities of their respective FEBS Constituent Societies and fostered impactful collaboration with FEBS. The selection of the awardees is made from nominations from the FEBS Constituent Societies.
Zrinka Kovarik is a scientific adviser with tenure at the Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Medicine in Zagreb, Croatia and titular associate professor of biochemistry and medicinal chemistry at the University of Zagreb Faculty of Science. Her primary research focuses on cholinesterases – enzymes that play key roles in organophosphorus poisoning and the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.
Croatian scientific community recognised her dedication to advancing science and science policy and she has been appointed member of the Governor Board of Croatian Science Foundation and the Chemistry Board of the Croatian Agency for Science and Higher Education.
In the Croatian Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (HDBMB), Dr Kovarik served as a Secretary General (2005-2013), Chair (2013-2017), Vice-Chair (2019-2021); she is currently a member of the Advisory Board. Over the past two decades, her efforts, alongside her colleagues, have significantly contributed to various new initiative and the transformation of HDBMB into the leading scientific society in the field of molecular life sciences in Croatia. Dr Kovarik has participated in organising numerous Congresses often serving as the main organiser. Notably, she played one of the key roles in the first FEBS3+ meeting of the Slovenian, Hungarian and Croatian societies held in Croatia in 2012. On the occasion of the HDBMB’s 40th anniversary in 2016, in addition to organising Society’s international scientific congress in Split, she edited two issues of the Croatian journal for science popularization, Priroda, featuring approximately 25 contributions by HDBMB members for students and schools, and organised several symposia. As guest editor of Croatian scientific journals, she promoted research presented by participants of the HDBMB congresses. With an interest in historical scientific heritage, she co-edited two monographs marking the 30th and 40th anniversary of the HDBMB to create valuable records for future generations.
Dr Kovarik has been an invaluable link between HDBMB and FEBS for many years, serving multiple times as the FEBS Council delegate, and fostering relationships with other FEBS Constituent Societies and FEBS itself. She contributed to the success of the 45th FEBS Congress in 2021, as a member of the Organising Committee. After serving her first term as the FEBS Advanced Courses Committee member (2015-2018), she began her second term in this Committee in 2024. Currently, she is an associate editor of the FEBS OpenBio journal, and BioFactors, an IUBMB journal.
As noted in the Award nomination by Morana Dulić, HDBMB Chair:
“Dr Kovarik has never been a by-stander, but always one of the leaders doing most of the work, especially in organization of numerous Congresses. Her hard-working and cheerful personality always stimulates the team to offer more while keeping the good mood. Even her criticism is always easy to accept due to its benevolence and correctness. In the end, the influence Dr Kovarik had on creation of the next generation of HDBMB leaders and continuous advisory role that she keeps offering day and night, will never be forgotten.”
