More on Amersham/Science Prize

Every year since 1995, Amersham Biosciences and Science magazine have honored young scientists in the molecular biology field with the Prize for Young Scientists. Recent Ph.D. graduates submit a 1,000-page essay based on their PhD theses. The essays must be on molecular biology, defined as "that part of biology which attempts to interpret biological events in terms of physico-chemical properties of molecules in a cell" (McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific and Technical Terms, 4th Edition). The deadline for submissions is 15 July 2002.

"With the Amersham prize, we want to encourage young scientists who have finished one stage; to have them sense they are part of the community of scientists," Bradford says. "This visibility can help the brightest and the best stick with the career they have chosen."

Entries are divided into four geographic regions: North America, Europe, Japan and all other countries. The top five essays from each region will be selected, and forwarded to a panel of judges. The judges will select up to three winners for each region. All regional winners will be awarded US $5,000, with the grand prizewinner being presented with $25,000 at an event later this year. Additionally, the winning essay will be published in Science. Shi was last year's grand prize-winner, for his essay "AMPA receptor dynamics and synaptic plasticity."

Other winning research topics have in the past spanned a variety of life forms, from simple microorganisms to humans. In a study with important implications for understanding and treating pancreatic disorders like diabetes, European winner Åsa A. Apelqvist discovered how certain molecular signals help control the development of the pancreas. The second European winner, Friedrich Frischknecht, studied how a cousin of the smallpox virus, the harmless Vaccinia virus, moves through cells of the organisms it's infected. Its ultra-efficient mechanism sheds light on how the smallpox virus managed to cause one of the deadliest diseases in history.

American winner Matthew L. Albert's study of how certain immune cells attack tumors suggests new approaches for helping the body fight cancer. Masaki Hiramoto, the Japanese winner, investigated interactions among key molecules that control how a growing organism assumes its shape. Research by Israeli scientist Itamar Simon, who won in the "other countries" category, looked at how cells time the duplication of various genes during cell division.

LINKS:

AMERSHAM BIOSCIENCES

Amersham Biosciences is a leading healthcare company, and provider of integrated biotechnology systems to life science researchers. They supply scientists with products and services needed to “turn the promise of this molecular medicine into reality,” and are committed to assisting with scientific innovation. Since 1995 they have co-sponsored the Prize for Young Scientists in Molecular Biology with Science Magazine.
http://www.amershambiosciences.com

EPPENDORF AG

Eppendorf AG, a leading biotech company has continued to develop, manufacture and distribute systems and products to scientists worldwide. They continue their history of acknowledging an honoring outstanding research in neurobiology by joining Science Magazine in creating these years Science Prize for Neurobiology.
http://www.eppendorf.com/

SOCIETY FOR NEUROSCIENCE

The Society for Neuroscience was founded in 1970, and has grown from its original 500 members to more than 29,000 to become the world's largest organization devoted to the study of the brain. The Society publishes the journal The Journal of Neuroscience.
http://www.sfn.org

MORE INFORMATION ON SCIENCE AWARDS

http://www.sciencemag.org/feature/data/pharmacia/prize/apbprize.shl

PAST WINNERS

http://www.sciencemag.org/feature/data/pharmacia/prize/winning.shl

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