Chemistry Nobel for protein discovery
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Two American scientists and a Japanese researcher have won the 2008 Nobel prize for chemistry for their discovery of a green fluorescent protein that has become a key tool in bioscience.
The prestigious 10 million Swedish crown ($2.14 million) prize recognised Osamu Shimomura of Japan and Americans Martin Chalfie and Roger Tsien for their discovery of the brightly glowing protein GFP.
It was first observed in the jellyfish aequorea victoria in 1962.
"This year's Nobel Prize in Chemistry rewards the initial discovery of GFP and a series of important developments which have led to its use as a tagging tool in bioscience," the Nobel Committee for Chemistry at the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences said in a statement.
All but one of the prizes were established in the will of 19th century dynamite tycoon Alfred Nobel and have been handed out since 1901.
The economics award was established by Sweden's central bank in 1968.
-Reuters
