ALICE LAM Louis Ignarro , a 1999 Nobel laureate
from the UCLA School of Medicine, spoke at Korn Convocation Hall
Wednesday.
By Chris Young
Daily Bruin Reporter
For the Nobel Prize centennial celebration, UCLA held an
academic symposium to honor California Nobel laureates at the Korn
Convocation Hall on Wednesday.
Faculty members from UCLA and UC Santa Barbara presented their
research to a distinguished audience, including Chancellor Albert
Carnesale and the Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden.
Three faculty members and Nobel laureates ““ two from UCLA
and one from UCSB ““ introduced the speakers.
“Today we celebrate, not only the centennial of the Nobel
Prize itself, but also the impressive individuals who have garnered
this extraordinary recognition while associated with universities
and research institutions in California,” Carnesale said.
The chancellor added that California has the single largest
concentration of Nobel laureates in the world, and that UCLA is the
youngest institution of that tradition, with five faculty members
and four alumni being Nobel laureates.
Dr. Paul D. Boyer, a UCLA professor emeritus and 1997 Nobel
laureate, said the UC faculty presenters were chosen for their
education, intelligence, experience and creativity in detailed
research, dedication and overall optimism.
In his speech on drosophila melanogaster ““ better known as
the fruit fly ““ biochemistry professor S. Lawrence Zipursky
drew parallels between the development of neurons in the fruit fly
and human brain.
He said the genes controlling the visual system in the fly are
similar to those in humans.
Drawing on his extensive research results, James R. Heath, both
a chemistry and biochemistry professor, said it will eventually be
possible to build computers from molecules, reducing the
circuit-board size by thousands-folds.
Between speakers, the symposium featured a video, “The
Nobel: Visions of our Century,” that highlighted the
accomplishments of laureates over the years.
The Nobel Prize, established by Alfred Nobel in Sweden, is
awarded yearly for outstanding achievements in physiology or
medicine, physics, chemistry, economic sciences and peace.
Candidates are peer-nominated, then selected by Nobel committees in
October. The Prize Award Ceremony is held in Sweden on Dec. 10.
The physiology or medicine, physics, chemistry, economic
sciences, and peace Nobel Prizes were awarded earlier this month,
with the literature prize to be announced soon.
In her speech, titled “Trafficking Iron of the High Seas:
An Essential Element of Microbial Life,” UCSB chemistry and
biochemistry professor Alison Butler discussed how oceanic bacteria
need iron to survive. She said the lack of iron particles in the
ocean cause bacteria to utilize internal molecules called
siderophores to capture iron atoms in the water to live.