October 8, 2008

scientists comment on the 2008 Nobel Prize for Chemistry

Awarded to Osamu Shimomura, Martin Chalfie and Roger Tsien for the discovery of the green fluorescent protein, a naturally occurring protein that allows animal such as jellyfish to glow.

John Ward, Professor of Molecular Microbiology at University College London, said:

“I think that the award of the Nobel Prize for the work on GFP (Green Fluorescent Protein) is a recognition of the way GFP and its many derivatives has revolutionised our work in cell biology. The fact that it is non invasive and non destructive means scientists can follow the movement of proteins through cells in a way not possible previously. It is now a common tool at the bench of most cell biology and molecular biology labs around the world.”

Prof Jeremy Sanders, former head of the Department of Chemistry at University of Cambridge and former supervisor to Roger Tsien, said:

“Roger decided that it was important to know the concentration of calcium in cells, and he had a entirely novel idea about how to measure it. His idea was to design a molecule that could get into cells and change colour when it contacted calcium ions. It was a brilliant conception, combining chemistry and biology. He made the compound in chemistry, then he went back to Physiology and proved his idea worked. Roger’s original compound, and its descendants, have transformed our understanding of cell biology. He has continued his work in this area, and is an inspiration to everyone who reads his work or hears him speak.”