News
For Immediate Release
October 10, 2007 |
Contact: George Goodno
(202) 457-0654 |
Nobel Prize Awarded
to FBR Board Member
Washington, DC – The Foundation for Biomedical
Research (FBR) congratulates Dr. Mario R. Capecchi today for
the richly deserved honor of the 2007 Nobel Prize in Physiology
or Medicine. Capecchi, who sits on FBR’s Board of Governors,
is currently a Distinguished Professor and Co-Chair of the
Human Genetics Department at the University of Utah, School
of Medicine.
“Groundbreaking research such as Dr. Capecchi’s
has enabled the study of diseases in a way never before thought
possible,” said FBR President Frankie L. Trull. “This
further demonstrates the incredible power and promise of the
humane use of animal models in medical research.”
The Nobel Foundation recognized Capecchi and two other researchers
for the discovery of "principles for introducing specific
gene modifications in mice by the use of embryonic stem cells."
Their studies resulted in genetically altered mouse models,
innovating the way researchers work to combat such diseases
as cancer, diabetes and Alzheimer’s.
Capecchi’s Nobel Prize-winning work involved gene targeting
in mouse embryonic stem cells, allowing scientists to study
the pathology of disease in a living system whose genes have
been either inactivated or modified. Scientists can now target
specific disease-causing genes in an effort to discover new
cures or treatments that afflict both humans and animals.
Upon joining FBR’s Board of Governors, Capecchi said,
“I am a very strong advocate for the respect and support
of animal research. My scientific life has been devoted to
the use of mouse models for the understanding of the development
of therapies of human disease as well as for the pathologies.”
FBR’s Board of Governors now includes ten Nobel Laureates.
Capecchi is a recipient of numerous other awards, including
the Albert Lasker Award in 2001.
FBR is the nation’s foremost organization devoted
to promoting public understanding, respect, and support for
the humane and responsible use of animals in medical and scientific
research. For more information on FBR, please visit its Web
site at www.fbresearch.org.
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