Blackburn, 2 others share Nobel Medicine

STOCKHOLM: Americans Elizabeth H. Blackburn, Carol W. Greider and Jack W. Szostak on Monday won the 2009 Nobel Prize in Medicine for discovering a key mechanism in the genetic operations of cells, an insight that has inspired new lines of research into cancer. 

It was the first time two women have been among the winners of the Prize. The trio solved the mystery of how chromosomes, the rod-like structures that carry DNA, protect themselves from degrading when cells divide. The Nobel citation said the laureates found the solution in the ends of the chromosomes — features called telomeres that are often compared to the plastic tips at the end of shoe laces that keep those laces from unravelling.

Dr. Blackburn and Dr. Greider discovered the enzyme that builds telomeres — telomerase — and the mechanism by which it adds DNA to the tips of chromosomes to replace genetic material that has eroded away.

The prize-winners’ work, done in the late 1970s and 1980s, set the stage for research suggesting that cancer cells use telomerase to sustain their uncontrolled growth

Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Awards 2009 announced

Eleven scientist were selected for 2009 Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize for science and technology on the occasion of CSIR Foundation Day celebration here today at Vigyan Bhawan. Their names discipline-wise are as under:

Biological Sciences

1.       Dr Amitabh Joshi, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, Banglore.

2.       Dr Bhaskar Saha, National Centre for Cell Science, Pune.

Chemical Sciences

1.       Dr Charusita chakravarty, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, New Delhi.

2.       Dr Narayanaswamy Jayaraman, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore.

Earth, Atmosphere, Ocean & Planetary Sciences

1.       Dr S K Satheesh, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore.

Engineering Sciences

1.     Dr Giridhar Madras, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore

2.     Dr Jayant Ramaswamy Haritsa, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore.

Mathematical Sciences

1.     Dr Venapally Suresh, University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad

Medical Sciences

1.     Dr Santosh Gajanan Honavar, L V Prasad Eye Institute, Hyderabad

Physical Sciences

1.     Dr Rajesh Gopakumar, Harish-Chandra research Institute, Allahabad

2.     Dr Abhishek Dhar, Raman Research Institute, Bangalore

The Bhatnagar Prizes are given to scientists below 45 years of age, for their outstanding scientific contributions made primarily in India during the last 5 years preceding the year of the Prize. The SSB Prize comprises a citation, a plaque and a cash award of Rs.5,00,000/- (Rupees five lakh only), and are given to the recipients by the Prime Minister of India.