3 US scientists bag ‘Arab Nobel Prize’

Three American scientists were awarded the King Faisal International Prize, known colloquially as the “Arab Nobel Prize”, at a ceremony in Riyadh on Tuesday. Dr Alexander Varshavsky, Professor of Cell Biology at the California Institute of Technology, bagged the Prize for Science in Riyadh for his pioneering work in cell biology which contributes to the treatment of cancer, a Press release said. Two American professors — Professor Richard L. Berkowitz and Professor James Bruce Bussel — shared the Prize for Medicine for their research into life-threatening conditions in unborn and newborn infants. They join a long list of distinguished scholars and scientists from the Middle East and wider world whose achievements have been recognised by the prize committee over the last 30 years. “We are delighted and very proud to have won a King Faisal International Prize,” Professor Berkowitz said. “It is a great honour.” The prizes are awarded on behalf of the King Faisal Foundation which was founded in 1976 in memory of Saudi Arabia’s late king. It recognises exceptional achievements in science and medicine, in service to Islam, Islamic studies and Arabic language and literature. This year’s other prize winners are two eminent Egyptian computer scientists and a Saudi scholar for his study of the links between contemporary human rights and Islamic jurisprudence.  Shaikh Sulaiman Al Rahji, one of the world’s leading philanthropists is being honoured for his service to Islam. So far, there have been a total of 209 laureates honoured from 40 different countries, including the UK, Germany Italy, India, Russia, Morocco, Jordan and Japan. No less than 15 award winners have gone onto to win Nobel Prizes. The King Faisal Prize rewards individuals whose accomplishments are not only exceptional in their own right, but which make a significant contribution to the body of knowledge belonging to humankind, the press release said. Prince Khaled Al Faisal, Chairman of the board of directors, King Faisal International Prize Committee, said: “With our world facing so many complex challenges, it is more important than ever that we do what we can to encourage both the pursuit of knowledge and the sharing of ideas”.