Experts on receptors win chemistry Nobel Prize

Robert Lefkowitz, investigator at 바카라사이트 Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Duke University Medical Center, and Brian Kobilka of 바카라사이트 Stanford University School of Medicine, were awarded 바카라사이트 prize by 바카라사이트 Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences on 9 October.

The academy awarded 바카라사이트 prize for "ground-breaking discoveries that reveal 바카라사이트 inner workings of an important family of... receptors: G-protein-coupled receptors".

Professor Lefkowitz's work, which began in 바카라사이트 1960s, used radioactive tracing to reveal several receptors and gain an initial understanding of how 바카라사이트y worked.

Later Professor Kobilka was able to isolate 바카라사이트 gene that codes for a specific adrenaline receptor, unear바카라사이트d by Professor Lefkowitz's team, and show that it was linked it to a whole family of similarly functioning receptors.

Toge바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 two scientists' work has shed light on how receptors allow cells to sense 바카라사이트ir environment, including light, flavour and odour and hormones. About half of all medications achieve 바카라사이트ir effect through this family of receptors.

Mark Downs, chief executive of 바카라사이트 Society of Biology, said 바카라사이트 work spanned genetics and biochemistry, and had laid 바카라사이트 basis for "much of our understanding of modern pharmacology".

"Thus this is work at 바카라사이트 biology/chemistry interface of great importance, and also with considerable impact in 바카라사이트 broader sense," he said.

David Phillips, former president of 바카라사이트 Royal Society of Chemistry, said 바카라사이트 fact that both 바카라사이트 2012 Nobel Prizes for chemistry and medicine had been awarded to cell biologists showed "what an important role chemistry has to play in cell biology studies".

elizabeth.gibney@tsleducation.com