Presentation of Eppendorf Young Investigator Award 2008 in Düsseldorf

This year`s science prize awarded by the Eppendorf AG in Hamburg goes to UK

The 2008 award is the 14th research prize conferred by the Hamburg biotech company to honor outstanding work in biomedical research in Europe. This year, the prize was awarded to Dr. Simon Boulton of the London Research Institute (Clare Hall Laboratories, South Mimms, Hertfordshire). With this award, Eppendorf sponsors young European scientists up to age of 35.

Dr. Simon Boulton, 35 years old and British, won the prize for his groundbreaking work on SPAR1, a newly discovered helicase. SPAR1 plays an important, controlling role in the repair of double-stranded DNA breaks by HRC (homologous recombination). Mice with deactivated SPAR1 will die of dramatic genome instability after 11 days. The reason seems to be a deregulation of homologous recombination due to missing SPAR1. Such mechanisms also play an important role, for example, in the development of certain tumors. Based on a detailed insight into this SPAR1 function, therapeutic approaches to combat specific tumors have already been developed. A prospective therapeutic drug is already being tested clinically.

Dr. Simon Boulton received the prize during a gala dinner attended guests from the scientific community and related industry. After Dr. Michael Schroeder, Eppendorf AG Board Member, addressed the audience, a speech honoring the achievements of this year’s prize winner was held by Prof. Kai Simons, Director of the Max-Planck-Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics in Dresden, Germany.

Additional information and photos of the event can be found under
www.eppendorf.com/award