Turkish scientist among Nobel Prize chemistry laureates
Aziz Sancar awarded for work on mapping cells that repair DNA damage
ANKARA
A Turkish scientist was among three scientists awarded the Nobel Prize in chemistry on Wednesday for their work on DNA repair.
Dr. Aziz Sancar, of the University of North Carolina in the U.S., was honored alongside Tomas Lindahl and Paul Modrich, according to the Nobel committee’s website.
Sancar, who is from the southeastern town of Savar, Mardin province, was awarded for his work in mapping the cells that repair ultraviolet damage to DNA.
“Their work has provided fundamental knowledge of how a living cell functions and is, for instance, used for the development of new cancer treatments,” the committee said in a statement.
“I did not expect [this], I am very amazed and still amazed,” Sancar, 69, said in an interview with the Nobel media center.
Thanking his family, Turkey and the U.S., Sancar added: “This award is especially very important for Turkey.”
The trio will share the 8 million Swedish kronor ($960,000) prize and receive diplomas and gold medals in a ceremony on Dec. 10.
The prize for chemistry has been awarded 106 times since 1901.
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