FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | October 7, 2009
American Chemical Society comment on award of 2009 Nobel Prize in Chemistry
WASHINGTON, Oct. 7, 2009 — Thomas H. Lane, Ph.D., president of the American Chemical Society, the world’s largest scientific society, comments on today’s award of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry to Venkatraman Ramakrishnan, Thomas A. Steitz and Ada E. Yonath “for studies of the structure and function of the ribosome.”
“The research behind these prizes shows how the transforming power of chemistry can improve peoples’ lives. Scientists around the world are using the winners’ research to develop new antibiotics that can be used in the ongoing battle against antibiotic-resistant microbes that cause so much illness, suffering and death. Chemists like these new Nobel laureates are creating breakthrough advances that not only improve and save lives but also put a human face on chemistry that can serve as an inspiration to future chemists!”
ACS’ weekly newsmagazine, Chemical & Engineering News, ran this cover story on ribosomes, topic of the prize.
News media may arrange telephone interviews with Lane by contacting Michael Woods or Michael Bernstein. The ACS Office of Public Affairs also can provide names of experts in the field that was the topic of the prize.
— Michael Woods
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The American Chemical Society is a nonprofit organization chartered by the U.S. Congress. With more than 154,000 members, ACS is the world’s largest scientific society and a global leader in providing access to chemistry-related research through its multiple databases, peer-reviewed journals and scientific conferences. Its main offices are in Washington, D.C., and Columbus, Ohio.
Thomas H. Lane, Ph.D., is 2009 President of the American Chemical Society and Scientist Emeritus at Dow Corning Corp., Midland, Mich. Lane has more than 33 years of research experience in the field of organosilicon chemistry. His work has allowed him to make significant contributions to the field in the areas of interfacial science, scientific computing, and most recently in the biology and biotechnology of silicon. Lane earned his B.S. degree from Purdue University in 1974; his M.S. from Central Michigan University in 1979, and his Ph.D. from Open University, Milton Keynes, England, in 1990.