American, Danish Chemists Win Nobel Prize for Work Leading to New Medicines
2022-10-06
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1Three scientists, one from Denmark, and two from the United States, won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry on Wednesday for their work that has led to improved medicines.
2The winners were Carolyn Bertozzi and Barry Sharpless from the U.S. and Morten Meldal from Denmark.
3They worked together on "click chemistry and bioorthoganal reactions" which are used to make cancer drugs and map DNA.
4The work is about "snapping molecules together," said Johan Aqvist, who announced the award in Stockholm, Sweden.
5He is a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences.
6The 81-year-old Sharpless won his second Nobel Prize.
7Only five people have received the award twice. He also won in 2001.
8Aqvist said Sharpless first came up with the idea that led to this year's prize around the year 2000.
9He proposed connecting molecules using chemical "buckles."
10Meldal is 68 and works at the University of Copenhagen.
11He and Sharpless started working separately and came up with some of the early chemical connectors.
12Their research helped the development of medicines and other compounds called polymers, which are used to join things together.
13Bertozzi, 55, is based at Stanford University in California.
14The prize panel said she "took click chemistry to a new level."
15Bertozzi, they said, found a way to make click chemistry work inside living organisms without hurting them.
16The new method became known as a bioorthoganal reaction.
17Among other things, the reactions are now used to design drugs that can more directly target diseases such as cancer.
18Bertozzi said her work makes sure "drugs go to the right place and stay away from the wrong place."
19She talked with reporters by phone after the prize announcement.
20She said she was "stunned" to receive the news.
21"I'm still not entirely positive that it's real, but it's getting realer by the minute," she added.
22Meldal said the Nobel panel told him the news about 30 minutes before the public announcement and told him not to say anything.
23"This is a huge honor," he said.
24Meldal started out as an engineer but changed to chemistry because, he said, "I wanted to understand the world."
25The week of Nobel Prize announcements started Monday.
26Thursday's prize will be for literature and the peace prize will be announced Friday.
27The last award, for economics, will be announced on October 10.
28The prizes are worth about $900,000 and will be handed out during a ceremony on December 10.
29I'm Dan Friedell.
1Three scientists, one from Denmark, and two from the United States, won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry on Wednesday for their work that has led to improved medicines. 2The winners were Carolyn Bertozzi and Barry Sharpless from the U.S. and Morten Meldal from Denmark. They worked together on "click chemistry and bioorthoganal reactions" which are used to make cancer drugs and map DNA. 3The work is about "snapping molecules together," said Johan Aqvist, who announced the award in Stockholm, Sweden. He is a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. 4The 81-year-old Sharpless won his second Nobel Prize. Only five people have received the award twice. He also won in 2001. 5Aqvist said Sharpless first came up with the idea that led to this year's prize around the year 2000. He proposed connecting molecules using chemical "buckles." 6Meldal is 68 and works at the University of Copenhagen. He and Sharpless started working separately and came up with some of the early chemical connectors. Their research helped the development of medicines and other compounds called polymers, which are used to join things together. 7Bertozzi, 55, is based at Stanford University in California. The prize panel said she "took click chemistry to a new level." 8Bertozzi, they said, found a way to make click chemistry work inside living organisms without hurting them. The new method became known as a bioorthoganal reaction. Among other things, the reactions are now used to design drugs that can more directly target diseases such as cancer. 9Bertozzi said her work makes sure "drugs go to the right place and stay away from the wrong place." 10She talked with reporters by phone after the prize announcement. She said she was "stunned" to receive the news. "I'm still not entirely positive that it's real, but it's getting realer by the minute," she added. 11Meldal said the Nobel panel told him the news about 30 minutes before the public announcement and told him not to say anything. "This is a huge honor," he said. 12Meldal started out as an engineer but changed to chemistry because, he said, "I wanted to understand the world." 13The week of Nobel Prize announcements started Monday. Thursday's prize will be for literature and the peace prize will be announced Friday. The last award, for economics, will be announced on October 10. 14The prizes are worth about $900,000 and will be handed out during a ceremony on December 10. 15I'm Dan Friedell. 16Dan Friedell adapted this story for VOA Learning English based on a report by The Associated Press. 17________________________________________________________________________ 18Words in This Story 19click -n. the short, sharp sound made often by something fitting into something else correctly 20snap -v. the sudden sound caused by something moving into a new position or something breaking 21buckle -n. a metal device that connects on end of a belt to another 22stun -v. to surprise or upset very much 23panel -n. a group of people who answer questions or give advice and opinions about things 24_______________________________________________________________________ 25We want to hear from you. Do you think you will ever win a Nobel Prize? 26We have a new comment system. Here is how it works: 27Each time you return to comment on the Learning English site, you can use your account and see your comments and replies to them. Our comment policy is here.