Etcetera
Bruce Beutler Elected to Institute of Medicine
Bruce Beutler, chair of the Department of Genetics at The Scripps Research Institute, has been elected to the Institute of Medicine (IOM). Election to the IOM is considered one of the highest honors in the fields of health and medicine and recognizes individuals who have demonstrated outstanding professional achievement and commitment to service. Members are elected through a highly selective process that recognizes people who have made major contributions to the advancement of the medical sciences, health care, and public health. Beutler's research program focuses on finding genes that are required for normal immune function through germline mutagenesis and positional cloning.
Albert Eschenmoser Wins Karrer Medal
Professor Albert Eschenmoser has received the Karrer Medal from the University of Zurich and the Paul Karrer Foundation. He was honored for his work on the theory of terpene biosynthesis, the structural elucidation of natural products, stereochemistry, and the mechanisms of chemical and biochemical reactions. In addition, he was recognized for his achievements in the development of new methods in organic synthesis, including the total synthesis of complex natural products, such as vitamin B12, and his investigations on the etiology of nucleic acid structure. Eschenmoser was presented with the award on October 15.
Valery Fokin Wins Synthetic Organic Chemistry Award
Associate Professor Valery Fokin has received the Award of the Society of Synthetic Organic Chemistry of Japan "for the development of catalytic cycloaddition reactions and their applications in synthesis, biology, and macromolecular science." In his program at Scripps Research, Fokin develops practical catalytic transformations for organic synthesis, combinatorial chemistry, chemical biology, and materials research. He also searches for novel antiviral agents, nicotinic receptor ligands, and protease inhibitors. Fokin was presented with the award at the society's recent annual meeting in Aso, Japan.
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