ラスカー賞 2012

Albert Lasker 2012
Basic Medical Research Award

Award Description

Michael Sheetz, James Spudich and Ronald Vale

For discoveries concerning cytoskeletal motor proteins, machines that move cargoes within cells, contract muscles, and enable cell movements.

The 2012 Albert Lasker Basic Medical Research Award honors three scientists for their discoveries concerning cytoskeletal motor proteins, machines that move cargoes within cells, contract muscles, and enable cell movements. By developing systems that allow reconstitution of motility from its constituent parts, Michael Sheetz (Columbia University), James Spudich (Stanford University School of Medicine), and Ronald Vale (University of California, San Francisco) established ways to study molecular motors in detail. These accomplishments enabled the discovery of the motor protein kinesin and unveiled the steps by which these engines convert chemical energy into mechanical work. The miniscule motors underlie numerous vital processes, and the landmark achievements of Vale, Spudich, and Sheetz are driving drug-discovery efforts aimed at cardiac problems as well as cancer.

Lasker~DeBakey
Clinical Medical Research Award

Roy Calne and Thomas E. Starzl

For the development of liver transplantation, which has restored normal life to thousands of patients with end-stage liver disease.

Lasker~Koshland
Special Achievement Award in Medical Science

Donald D. Brown and Tom Maniatis

or exceptional leadership and citizenship in biomedical science — exemplified by fundamental discoveries concerning the nature of genes; by selfless commitment to young scientists; and by disseminating revolutionary technologies to the scientific community.

ラスカー賞が発表されると、いよいよノーベル賞の季節だなと思うのだ。今年のラスカーは運動モーターの話である。これがノーベル賞になると日本人の入り込む余地があるような気がする。テーマとしてはノーベル賞に相応しいと思う。しかし、医学生理学賞としてはカーンとスターツルの肝移植コンビの方が際だつな。こちらの臨床チームが獲得する方が、ずっと楽しいと思うぞ。それにしてもカーンなんて名前、本当に久しぶりに目にした。20年ぶりくらいかしら、くらくらした。

マニアティスは「Molecular cloning」のヒト（だけではもちろんないが）で有名だ。