Congratulations to Sára Ferková, winner of the Michèle-Auger 2026 Award

Sára Ferková, a PhD candidate in pharmacology at the Université de Sherbrooke, is the recipient of the 2026 Michèle-Auger Award. Awarded annually by PROTEO, the Quebec research network on the function, engineering, and applications of proteins, this award, which includes a $5,000 scholarship, recognizes a graduate student in protein science who stands out for the excellence of their research and their commitment to the community.

Sára Ferková is conducting a project focused on the development of new strategies to inhibit viral entry, in the context of COVID-19 and future pandemics. Her work specifically targets interactions involving the Spike protein and contributes to advancing knowledge in medicinal chemistry and protein biology.

Her research supervisor, Pierre-Luc Boudreault, notes: “Sára stands out for her exceptional commitment, both in research and across all her academic and professional responsibilities. She also distinguishes herself through her ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously and through the many initiatives she has undertaken, contributing significantly to the advancement of research and to the team’s dynamism.”

Sára Ferková aspires to a career as a professor in medicinal chemistry. She teaches part-time at Bishop’s University, where she has developed courses in analytical chemistry, as well as at the Université de Sherbrooke. She is actively involved in the student community, particularly in supporting international students. Committed to science outreach, she participates in various media initiatives (television, radio, digital platforms) and in science outreach activities for high school students. She has also contributed to the Curium series as a scientific consultant and has published more than eight scientific articles since the beginning of her PhD, with more to be published in the near future.

Through the awarding of the Michèle-Auger Prize, PROTEO highlights the excellence of Sára Ferková’s achievements as well as her commitment to research, teaching, and knowledge sharing, qualities that reflect her strong potential as a future engaged professor.

About Michèle Auger

Born in Grand-Mère, QC, Michèle Auger merited a B. Sc. in Biophysics from UQTR. She obtained a Ph. D. in Chemistry from the University of Ottawa and undertook postdoctoral reseach at the MIT, specializing in solid-state NMR applied to proteins. She pursued an outstanding scientific career in molecular biophysics at Université Laval before losing her battle to cancer at too young an age, on October 2018. She has been a model for generations of scientists, especially for women. Her engagement in the scientific community and in promoting science was notable and inspiring.

About PROTEO

Founded in 1999, PROTEO is the Quebec research network on protein function, engineering and applications. Supported by the FRQNT, it brings together over 350 researchers from 79 research teams at 13 institutions across Quebec.