26 November 2004

Hungarian Science Prize for Dundee Scientist

Professor Sir Philip Cohen, Director of Research in the University of Dundee's School of Life Sciences will receive the Debrecen Award for Molecular Medicine and an Honorary Doctorate of Science from the University of Debrecen, Hungary, later this week.

The award recognises his contributions to the understanding of how insulin works and its implications for the development of improved drugs to treat diabetes.

After receiving the prize in Hungary on 26 November Sir Philip will go on to deliver a lecture entitled "Protein kinase inhibitors: the major pharmaceutical drug targets of the 21st century?". The following day Professor Cohen will be presented with an Honorary Doctorate of Science from the University of Debrecen.

This is only the second year the Debrecen Award for Molecular Medicine has been presented. Last year's recipient was Dr Craig Venter from the USA, who made a major contribution to the determination of the structure of the human genome.

Sir Philip's work was also recognised in Europe earlier this year when he received an Honorary Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of Linkoping, Sweden in May.

Commenting on the latest award Sir Philip said "The University of Debrecen is particularly strong in the field of research in which I work. Several scientists from Debrecen have studied in Dundee as postdoctoral fellows in the School of Life Sciences, especially in the laboratory of my wife, Professor Tricia Cohen. This award may help to stimulate further collaborations between scientists working in Hungary and Dundee."

For further information please contact Life Sciences Publicity Officer Angela Nicoll on 01382 348377

By Angela Durcan, Press Officer 01382 344910, out of hours: 07968298585, a.durcan@dundee.ac.uk