The prestigious Harvey Prize will be awarded in February at the Technion to Prof. Sir David Baulcombe from the University of Cambridge, UK. And Prof. Shuji Nakamura from the University of California , Santa Barbara, USA.  To date, 13 Harvey Prize winners have gone on to win the Noble Prize, including the two latest Nobel laureates – Elizabeth Blackburn (Medicine) and Ada Yonath of the Weizmann Institute (Chemistry).

Prof. Baulcombe will receive the prize “in recognition of his seminal role in discovering the key function of short RNA molecules in regulating gene expression. Working with plants, Prof. Baulcombe made the pioneering discovery that transgenes and viruses are silenced at the RNA level by short RNA molecules. These studies brought about the discovery of the importance of short RNA molecules in many organisms, including humans, and led to the identification of a common basis for their activity. The work of Prof. Baulcombe had a great influence on basic research in the life sciences, and a major impact on agriculture and biotechnology, where the short RNAs are exploited for raising virus-resistant crops, diagnostic and therapeutic tools in major diseases such as cancer, viral infections, and neurodegenerative disorders.

Prof. Nakamura will receive the prize “in recognition of his seminal contributions to light sources based on nitride containing III-V semiconductors. Prof. Nakamura pioneered the research that led to the first semiconductor laser producing blue emission which increases significantly the density of optical storage devices. His work on nitride containing light emitting diodes led eventually to the white light LED which totally revolutionized lighting concepts. These white light LEDs will dominate light producing systems as they are significantly more efficient than conventional incandescent light bulbs ensuring huge reductions in energy consumption.

The Harvey Prize was first awarded in 1972 from a fund established by the late. Leo M. Harvey of Los Angeles. The prize recognizes those who have made great contributions to advancing humanity in science and technology and in human health, as well as advancing peace in the Middle East. Every year, prizes totaling $75,000 per winner are awarded from the fund’s income.

Among the winners of the prestigious Harvey Prize are scientists from the US, Great Britain, Russia, Sweden, France and Israel. These include Nobel Prize laureate Mikhail Gorbachev, former leader of the USSR, who was awarded the prize for his activities aimed at reducing regional tensions; Prof. Bert Sakmann who won the Nobel Prize in Medicine; Prof. Pierre-Gilles de Gennes who won the Nobel Prize in Physics; Prof. Edward Teller for his discoveries in solid state physics, atomic physics and nuclear physics; and Prof. William J. Kolff for his invention of the artificial kidney.

Proposals for candidates for the Harvey Prize are received from leading scientists and personalities in Israel and the world. The prize laureates are chosen by the Harvey Prize committee in a stringent process at the Technion.