TOKYO, Jan. 11 /PRNewswire/ -- The Science and Technology Foundation of Japan announced the names of two laureates for the 2006(22nd) Japan Prize today.
They are U.K. scientist, Sir John Houghton CBE FRS, for the “Pioneering research on atmospheric structure and composition based on his satellite observation technology and for promotion of international assessments of climate change” in the prize category of “Global Change” and Dr. Akira Endo of Japanese for the “The Discovery of the Statins” in the prize category of “The development of Novel Therapeutic Concepts and Technologies”
The two scientists will receive certificates of merit, and commemorative medals. There is also a cash award of fifty million Japanese yen (Japanese Yen 50,000,000) for each prize category. The presentation ceremony is scheduled to be held in Tokyo at the National Theatre on Thursday 20, April 2006
Laureates of the 2006(22nd) Japan Prize
Field I: Global Change
Sir John Houghton CBE FRS (United Kingdom)
Honorary Scientist, Hadley Centre for Climate Prediction and Research and Formerly Chief Executive, Meteorological Office, UK
Date of Birth : December 30, 1931, 74 years
For pioneering research on atmospheric structure and composition based on his satellite observation technology and for promotion of international assessments of climate change.
OUTLINE
Observations by weather satellites began in the 1970s, when Sir John
Houghton developed a new means for making observations to measure the temperatures and composition of the upper atmosphere based on his independent theory. This opened the way to elucidating the three-dimensional temperature structure of, and distribution of micro-components such as ozone in the atmosphere across the entire globe.
Then he established the Hadley Centre for Climate Prediction and Research to pursue this research and to study international climate change. He also has played a central role in compiling the First, Second and Third Assessment Reports under the auspices of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
Field II: The Development of Novel Therapeutic Concepts and Technologies Dr. Akira Endo (Japan) Director, Biopharm Research Laboratories, Inc., Tokyo, Japan Date of Birth: November 14, 1933, 72 years For the Discovery of the Statins and their Development OUTLINE
In 1973 Dr. Akira Endo isolated from penicillium a ground-breaking substance called ML-236B (currently known as compactin) that lowers blood cholesterol levels, and confirmed that it was also effective in humans.
This discovery triggered world-wide research into the compactin group and resulted in the birth of several hypercholesteremia drugs from amongst that group. These drugs, known collectively as statins, are presently used by approximately thirty million people around the world and help to prevent cardiac disease and stroke and so on.
Japan (JSTF)
The Science and Technology Foundation of
CONTACT: Masaaki Ueda, Executive Officer of The Science and TechnologyFoundation of Japan, +81-3-5545-0551, Fax: +81-3-5545-0554,info@japanprize.jp
Web site: http://www.japanprize.jp/English.htm/
