Roland L. Dunbrack Jr., a professor and co-leader at Fox Chase Cancer Center, has received the 2026 DeLano Award for Computational Biosciences from the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB). Dunbrack is also the founding director of the Fox Chase Molecular Modeling Facility.
“This award means a great deal to me because it recognizes the field that I have devoted my entire career to, which is structural bioinformatics,” said Dunbrack. “Computational biology has transformed how we study cancer and many other diseases. Where scientists once worked with a handful of data points, we now analyze tens of thousands of genes and protein structures, requiring advanced computational methods to extract meaningful insights.”
The DeLano Award honors investigators who have made significant contributions to computational technologies in life sciences and recognizes innovative approaches that improve understanding and visualization of complex biological systems. The award was created in memory of Warren L. DeLano, known for his work in bioinformatics and support for open-source practices.
Dunbrack’s research focuses on analyzing and predicting protein structures, an area essential for understanding biological processes and developing new therapies. His group has created computational models that help scientists predict protein folding, interactions, and functions. These tools are used in cancer biology research at Fox Chase Cancer Center as well as other institutions.
“Proteins are the machines of life. If we can visualize and analyze their structures, we can begin to understand how cancers arise and how to design treatments that target them more effectively,” said Dunbrack. “My work has always focused on bridging basic structural biology with real-world applications in cancer research.”
Helen M. Berman, PhD—a former Fox Chase faculty member—nominated Dunbrack for the award. Berman co-founded the Protein Data Bank, an international archive of three-dimensional structural data on proteins and nucleic acids; she is currently Professor Emerita at Rutgers University and Distinguished Professor at the University of Southern California.
“Helen has been a tremendous role model and inspiration throughout my career, and I’m honored that she nominated me for this award,” said Dunbrack.
The recognition highlights both Dunbrack’s scientific achievements and his contributions to collaborative research efforts at Fox Chase Cancer Center. “Fox Chase has provided me with the opportunity to pursue innovative science and to work closely with colleagues across many areas of cancer biology. This recognition reflects the importance of computational biology in tackling the complexities of cancer.”
Fox Chase Cancer Center is located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where it was founded in 1904. Dr. Robert Uzzo serves as its current president. In 2022, according to its annual report https://www.foxchase.org/about-us/annual-report, Fox Chase conducted over 5,000 surgeries with nearly 3,500 patient admissions during that year.
