The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for 2009 has been announced and has been awarded to Elizabeth H. Blackburn, Carol W. Greider and Jack W. Szostak for “how chromosomes are protected by telomeres and the enzyme telomerase.” I’m sure the medicalbioblogs here on Scienceblogs will have some fine coverage of this. But one thing jumps out at me: Carol Greider was, I think, a graduate student when she worked did this work! So, dear graduate student procrastinating by reading this blog, please get back to work and win that there Nobel Prize!
Oh, and of course, in the Nobel counting game, I am happy to report “Go Bears!” Cal is where Greider got her Ph.D. (and where the work on telemorase was done.)
Also, first Nobel prize to a Tasmanian (Blackburn)?
Oh, and yes, I just checked GERN stocks spiked this morning 🙂
O brave new quantum world!
I agree, it definitely does teach a lesson about strength and perseverance. Very cool, thanks for sharing!
I hope that this finding leads to further research. It would be nice to see some advancements on disease, aging (especially the brain) and most of all cancer. It is about time.
I’m not sure if this is going to lead to a cancer treament solution or not. However I hope we can come to an end of “cancer era” and feel safe…