E. S. Grape awarded 2026 Struchkov Prize

For outstanding contributions to small-molecule crystallography, including the elucidation of historically and pharmaceutically significant structures and pioneering structural studies of porous framework materials.

Dr Erik Svensson Grape is a postdoctoral fellow jointly affiliated with Uppsala University, Sweden, and the University of Oregon, USA. He received his PhD in Inorganic Chemistry from Stockholm University in 2022, having previously completed BSc and MSc degrees in Materials Chemistry at the same institution.

Dr Svensson Grape’s research focuses on small-molecule crystallography and structural chemistry, with particular emphasis on porous crystalline materials and metal–organic frameworks. During his doctoral studies, he combined advanced crystallographic techniques—including single-crystal X-ray diffraction, powder diffraction and three-dimensional electron diffraction—to resolve long-standing structural problems. Notably, he determined the crystal structure of bismuth subsalicylate, a widely used pharmaceutical compound, and elucidated the structure of carmine, a historically significant pigment, revealing its porous character.

In his postdoctoral research, he has continued to advance the structural understanding of framework materials, including detailed investigations of topology–property relationships and size-dependent thermal behaviour in porous nanocrystals. Supported by a Swedish Research Council International Postdoctoral Grant, Dr Svensson Grape is developing crystallographic approaches that bridge molecular-scale structure and the rational design of functional materials. His work demonstrates the enduring importance of rigorous small-molecule crystallography in addressing contemporary challenges in materials chemistry.

Dr Svensson Grape will deliver the Struchkov Prize Keynote at the 27th IUCr Congress.

For a list of papers by Dr Svensson Grape appearing in IUCr journals click here.