The Wiley Foundation, part of John Wiley & Sons, Inc. (NYSE: JWa and
JWb) — a global provider of knowledge-based services in areas of
research, professional development, and education — today announced the
winners of the 13th annual Wiley Prize in Biomedical Sciences.
This year’s Wiley Prize will award the following Doctors for their
advancements in the field of oxygen sensing systems:
Dr. William G. Kaelin, Jr., Investigator, Howard Hughes Medical
Institute; Professor at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Brigham and
Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School;
Dr. Steven McKnight, Professor & Chairman, Department of Biochemistry at
the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center;
Dr. Peter J. Ratcliffe, Professor and Head, Nuffield Department of
Medicine, University of Oxford; and
Dr. Gregg L. Semenza, Professor at the Johns Hopkins University School
of Medicine.
These scientists discovered that all animal cells have the ability to
sense oxygen and identified the molecular mechanism by which cells
respond to dangerously low oxygen levels (hypoxia). The pathway
identified by this research is an attractive target for the treatment of
kidney disease, stroke, cancer, heart disease and chronic lung disease,
among other conditions.
“Historically, oxygen sensing cells were thought to be limited to
certain areas within the human body,” said Dr. McKnight. “But we now
know that all nucleated cells in the body sense and respond to hypoxic
conditions. When a lack of oxygen occurs, cells and genes can be
affected in adverse ways. Disease is a common result.”
More specifically, Dr. Semenza discovered Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1
(HIF-1), a protein that regulates gene expression, while Dr. Kaelin, Dr.
McKnight and Dr. Ratcliffe are recognized for the elucidation of the
novel mechanism by which it is regulated by oxygen levels. In response
to hypoxia, HIF-1 acts to induce the expression of hundreds of genes,
which orchestrate adaptive responses to hypoxia, including the formation
of more blood vessels. These discoveries have sparked efforts to develop
new treatments for conditions associated with oxygen imbalance,
including heart disease, stroke, and cancer.”
"Many diseases of the developed world are caused by inadequate oxygen
delivery, said Dr. Kaelin. “Understanding how cells and tissues sense
and adapt to low oxygen has created new opportunities for treating such
diseases, as well as for treating cancer, because cancers frequently
coopt the oxygen sensing circuitry in order to grow."
“When evaluating all of the significant biomedical achievements from
past years, one achievement that clearly stood out was this crucial
advancement in oxygen sensing systems,” said Dr. Gunter Blobel, Chairman
of the awards jury for the Wiley Prize. “It will immediately help
accelerate our understanding of how some of humanity’s most critical
conditions can be better managed and prevented.”
Established in 2001, The Wiley Prize in Biomedical Sciences is awarded
annually to recognize contributions that have opened new fields of
research or have advanced concepts in a particular biomedical
discipline. Among the many distinguished recipients of the Wiley Prize
in Biomedical Sciences, five have gone on to be awarded the Nobel Prize
in Physiology or Medicine.
“The work of this year’s Wiley Prize recipients truly upholds the
mission of the Wiley Prize and the Wiley Foundation,” said Deborah E.
Wiley, Chair of the Wiley Foundation. “It is our hope that these
researchers will continue to make strides in the medical field, and that
their innovations and leadership will inspire others to become involved
in scientific research.”
This year’s award of $35,000 will be presented to Dr. Kaelin, Dr.
McKnight, Dr. Ratcliffe, and Dr. Semenza on April 11, 2014 at the Wiley
Prize luncheon at The Rockefeller University. There, each recipient also
will deliver an honorary lecture as part of the Rockefeller University
Lecture Series.
About The Wiley Foundation
The Wiley Foundation and the Wiley Prize in Biomedical Sciences were
established in 2001 to acknowledge the contributions of the scholarly
community to the Company's success. Through this award Wiley seeks to
recognize and foster ongoing excellence in scientific achievement and
discovery.
About Wiley
Founded in 1807, John Wiley & Sons, Inc. (NYSE: JWa, JWb), has been a
valued source of information and understanding for more than 200 years,
helping people around the world meet their needs and fulfill their
aspirations. Wiley and its acquired companies have published the works
of more than 450 Nobel laureates in all categories: Literature,
Economics, Physiology or Medicine, Physics, Chemistry, and Peace.
Wiley's global headquarters are located in Hoboken, New Jersey, with
operations in the U.S., Europe, Asia, Canada, and Australia. The
Company's website can be accessed at www.wiley.com
Wiley
Linda Dunbar, 201-748-6390
LDunbar@Wiley.com
or
Edelman
Daniel Kahn, 212-704-8110
Daniel.Kahn@edelman.com