Zinpro® Corporation Announces New Medicinal Chemistry Fellowship in Memory of Dr. Mahmoud M. Abdel-Monem 

Grant Berkbigler, a first-year Ph.D. student pursuing a degree in Medicinal Chemistry at the University of Minnesota, is the inaugural recipient of this fellowship. 

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. – May 18, 2023 – Zinpro Corporation, the world’s leading innovator and manufacturer of high-performance organic trace minerals and animal nutrition solutions, announced today the establishment of the Dr. Mahmoud M. Abdel-Monem Memorial Fellowship in Medicinal Chemistry at the University of Minnesota. 

“We are proud to establish this new fellowship in memory of Dr. Monem, who worked closely with Zinpro co-founder Dean Anderson in the development of our first organic metal amino acid complex,” said President and Chief Executive Officer Rob Sheffer.  

“Dr. Monem was so much more than an innovative scientist and collaborative partner,” said Mike Anderson, chairman of the Zinpro Board of Directors and Dean and Mary Anderson’s son. “To the Anderson family and to all of us at Zinpro, he was also a dear friend and colleague. We are pleased to honor his memory on this day, the 52nd anniversary of Zinpro’s founding.” 

Dr. Monem’s discovery helped set Zinpro on the path to long-term success as a trusted leader in the global animal nutrition industry.  

“When Dr. Monem first developed the metal amino acid complex, it was new to the world,” said Zinpro Research and Development leader Dr. Peter Stark, a former graduate student of Dr. Monem. “No one else was feeding animals organic trace minerals – only inorganic.”  

“Now, 52 years and hundreds of peer-reviewed research studies later, we see that this discovery has truly changed the industry and impacted the lives of animals and people all over the world,” said Sheffer. 

Inspiring a new generation of scientists 

Grant Berkbigler, a first-year Ph.D. student pursuing a degree in Medicinal Chemistry at the University of Minnesota, is the inaugural recipient of the Dr. Monem memorial fellowship. 

“Ever since I was in middle school, I have dreamed of improving the lives of millions of people. I fell in love with chemistry and biochemistry, leading me to pursue my Ph.D. in medicinal chemistry,” said Berkbigler. “My lifelong goal is to become a professor with my own lab, become a leader in the field, and help train the next generation of medicinal chemists.” 

Berkbigler earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Pharmaceutical Sciences with minors in German and Chemistry at The Ohio State University. His primary academic interests are in the fields of organic and medicinal chemistry. 

May 18, 2023