German, Brit bag famed prize
A German virologist and a British scientist were awarded this year’s Prince Mahidol Award for their work in the field of medicine and public health.
The announcement was made during a press conference at Siriraj Hospital yesterday after the Prince Mahidol Award Foundation’s Board of Trustees, chaired by Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, chose the winners from a total of 66 nominees on Nov 1.
Dr Ralf FW Bartenschlager, the head of the Department for Infectious Diseases, Molecular Virology at the University of Heidelberg in Germany, won the award in the field of public health for his work on the life cycle of the hepatitis C virus (HCV) which provides a basis for the development of effective and safe specific antivirals.
Dr Bartenschlager, who is also the head of the Division of Virus-Associated Carcinogenesis of the German Cancer Research Centre, and his colleague identified a method to replicate HCV in cell culture and make “replicons” (fragments of the virus’s RNA). This has made it possible to rapidly screen for candidates of antivirals.
Meanwhile, the Prince Mahidol Award for public health also went to David Mabey, professor of communicable diseases, at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine in the UK.
Prof Mabey has studied trachoma — the most common eye infection leading to blindness — for more than 30 years.
The research of Prof Mabey prompted the World Health Organisation to establish a global eradication programme using SAFE strategy — (S) control through surgery, (A) mass treatment with an antibiotic, (F) face washing, and (E) environmental and sanitation improvements.