Dr. Anthony (Tony) Pawson of Toronto's Mount Sinai Hospital is the first Canadian scientist to receive a Kyoto Prize, also known as the Japanese Nobel, which are awarded by the Inamori Foundation of Kyoto, Japan.
Mount Sinai scientist wins Kyoto Prize
June 20, 2008
Staff Reporter
A Toronto cell biologist has become the first Canadian scientist to win the prestigious Kyoto Prize, Japan's equivalent of the Nobel.
Dr. Tony Pawson, a scientist at the Samuel Lunenfeld Research Institute of Mount Sinai Hospital, joins the ranks of such international luminaries as primatologist Jane Goodall, American pop artist Roy Lichtenstein, and author and linguist Noam Chomsky – all of whom have won the coveted award.
Pawson, a world leader in his field, is being honoured for his work in human cell communication, which is vital in understanding how to fight diseases such as cancer. Many have praised his work, saying he'll have a significant impact on mankind – perhaps one day helping to find one of the keys to cure cancer.
The 55-year-old said yesterday he was "stunned, surprised and excited" by news of the award, which comes with a 50 million yen (or about $470,000 Canadian) cheque and is given out in the life sciences area only every four years.
Pawson, who grew up in England, came to Mount Sinai in 1985.
He has spent the bulk of his career studying how cells in the body communicate with one another. "You started life as a single cell ... and ended up a perfect being," he said in a phone interview, describing the process as a "molecular language" that "works incredibly well."
But when it breaks down, the miscommunication causes diseases such as cancer and diabetes.
Pawson and his lab look at how proteins in cells interact and communicate.
This research has formed the basis for the development of drugs like Herceptin, which targets breast cancer, and Gleevec, a drug for some kinds of leukemias, he said.
Toronto, Pawson said, is "a centre for biomedical research and awards of this sort highlight what a terrific place it is. You can't win awards like this working in isolation. You have to have great colleagues around to stimulate you and collaborate. It's in that sense an award to the city and the whole biomedical community."
The award will be presented at a ceremony in Kyoto in November.