Posted on 10/05/2006 1:13:19 AM PDT by neverdem
WASHINGTON, Oct. 4 — Following a kind of family tradition, Dr. Roger D. Kornberg of Stanford University School of Medicine won this year’s Nobel Prize in Chemistry on Wednesday for showing how genes convey their messages in cells to copy functions like making proteins.
The Nobel Prize committee cited Dr. Kornberg, 59, for visually showing how information encoded in a cell’s DNA blueprint is read and duplicated into what is called messenger RNA. This messenger RNA, in turn, takes the information out of the nucleus to outer areas of the cell where it is used to construct proteins that control cell functions.
This is the second time this week the Nobel Prizes have recognized the growing importance of RNA, which is swiftly emerging from the shadows of its better-known cousin DNA. On Monday, the prize in medicine was awarded to two American biologists for discoveries that opened the field known as RNA interference, or gene silencing.
It was also the first time since 1983 that Americans had swept all three scientific Nobels, in medicine, physics and chemistry.
Dr. Kornberg, who said he was “simply stunned” by the award, is the son of Dr. Arthur Kornberg, who shared the Nobel in medicine in 1959 for his work in DNA information transfer. The Kornbergs are the sixth father and son to win Nobel Prizes.
The younger Dr. Kornberg said that while others suggested he might win the prize this year, he viewed it as “improbable.”
But the elder Dr. Kornberg, 88, said he was not entirely surprised. “I’m disappointed it’s been so long in coming,” he said with a smile at a Stanford news conference.
The process of copying and transferring information stored in genes, called transcription, is the key to keeping organisms from yeast to humans alive and functioning. Disturbances...
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
More evidence of Yankee Imperialism! /sarc
American Wins Nobel Chemistry Prize (Father ALSO won Nobel Prize!)
Multiple Web Links from the Times' usual webpage, not the printer friendly page
My father and I enjoyed similar accomplishments, only ours was avoiding incarceration.
I remember when the 22 year old building maintenance guy bought himself a BMW. I'm pretty sure he still lived at home. Probably still does, for all I know.
It's cool when people can buy things and all, but there's a certain pretense to it...like that guy who threw his wife a 30 million dollar birthday party or whatever.
Anyway, I wonder how long before high school aged children are given Nobel's for not missing too many days...and the Nobel becomes just another "brand" with all its prestige diluted.
***
But not yet. This Nobel-sweeping makes the World Cup look like...just a game. It makes me very proud. No, not the World Cup -- that makes me sick. The Nobels make me proud. A little long in coming,though...;)
That's dynamite!
Does the Nobel committee award any Spirit award to individuals who showed a lot of effort even if they didn't win anything?
Why didn't my Pop ever win a Nobel?
I'm sure that would have helped my chances in a Nobel for blogerism.
"The Kornbergs are the sixth father and son to win Nobel Prizes"
Interesting
It's not that long in coming. The last time the US performed a science sweep for the Nobel Prizes was 1983. The best showing was in 1946 when Americans were awarded 6 out of 7 prizes (not being awarded a prize only in literature).
ASTRONOMERS SEE INSIDE A QUASAR FOR THE FIRST TIME
FReepmail me if you want on or off my health and science ping list.
Thanks for the link!
Not only a brilliant scientist, but a sensible man is Dr. Kornberg -- paying off some debts and lots of taxes, then maybe a new car -- that's his plan for the money award.
The revelations coming about the importance of RNA are absolutely fascinating.
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