By Tamara Traubman and the agencies
Knowles. Was surprised to receive the award
Three scientists won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry yesterday for discoveries made
about thirty years ago. The achievements of the scientists - two American researchers
and a Japanese researcher - led to the achievement of improved control over chemical processes,
and are currently used in the production of medicines, including a medicine that is used in treatment
in Parkinson's disease.
Half of the $943 prize will go to Barry Sharples, 60 years old
from the Scripps Research Institute in California; The second half will be divided between the researcher
Ryuji Noyori, 63 years old, director of the materials research center at the university
Nagoya in Japan, and William Knowles, 84, a retired chemist
about 15 years ago.
The three scientists - who worked separately from each other - were engaged in the study of molecules
Chirality. These molecules appear in two forms, which are mirror forms
of each other, similar to the similarity between the right hand and the left hand. Usually, cells
The body reacts in a desirable way only to one type of the molecules, and the molecule
The second one is not suitable and sometimes can even cause damage.
The winners, wrote members of the Nobel Prize Committee from the Royal Swedish Academy,
"They developed molecules capable of encouraging processes that lead to only one
from the shapes will be obtained in the final product". The members of the committee added that we will do it with medicines
Often using only "right-handed" or "left-handed" molecules. and that
"For this reason it is essential to be able to produce both chiral forms
separately".
The members of the committee also wrote that scientists around the world are helping today
In the findings of the studies of Sharples, Newory and Wells to develop a variety
Products including antibiotic drugs, anti-inflammatory drugs
and drugs to treat heart disease.
In an interview yesterday, William Knowles said that he was very surprised to receive an award
The Nobel, and added that he has not stopped receiving calls from the media and congratulations since receiving it
the prize. When asked what he intends to do with the winnings - more than 200
A thousand dollars - said Knowles: "I haven't reached this bridge yet. I describe
I think a lot of people will call about this as well."
Nobel Prizes in Physics to scientists from the USA and Germany
The Royal Academy in Sweden published the names of the prize winners
Nobel Prize in Physics: Wolfgang Cattrell from Germany, and Eric Cornell and Karl Wieman
From the USA. They will share a million dollar reward, awarded to them for discovery
Methods for measuring tiny objects and distances, the academy said.
