Thailand's Prince Mahidol Awards 2016 announced

BANGKOK, November 16 (TNA) - Thailand's Prince Mahidol Awards 2016 have been officially announced, with Sir Gregory Paul Winter from the United Kingdom being the awardee in the field of medicine and Prof. Dr. Vladimir Hachinski from Canada being the awardee in the field of Public Health. Prof. Dr. Prasit Watanapa, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, in his capacity as Vice President of the Prince Mahidol Award Foundation, announced the Prince Mahidol Awards 2016 at a press conference in Bangkok on Wednesday. There are 59 nominees from 24 countries contesting the 25th Prince Mahidol Award. The first awardee, Sir Gregory Paul Winter, Master of Trinity College, University of Cambridge, is a pioneer in the field of antibody engineering and modification technology and he has invented techniques to humanize antibodies for therapeutic uses, which has led to the creation of cutting-edge therapeuticdf drugs, now widely used in clinical disease treatment. The other awardee, Vladimir Hachinski, a distinguished university professor at University of Western Ontario, is a world leading doctor and specialist in stroke and vascular dementia. Prof. Dr. Hachinski has made major contributions to the fight against these two greatest threats to human brains and his contributions to medicine in the areas of vascular cognitive impairment, stroke and brain-heart interactions help save and improve million of lives by delaying and/or preventing cearebrovascular disease and cognitive decline. Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn will preside over the Presentation Ceremony of the Prince Mahidol Award 2016 at the Chakri Throne Hall inside the Grand Palace on January 31. Prior to the Ceremony, Siriraj Hospital, as a founder of the Prince Mahidol Award, will invite the 2016 Prince Mahidol Award Laureates to give their lectures based on their achievements on January 30. The Prince Mahidol Award Foundation under the Royal Patronage was established in commemoration of the centenary of the birth of His Royal Highness Prince Mahidol of Songkla, the Prince Father of late His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej, on 1 January 1992. The foundation annually confers two Prince Mahidol Awards upon individual(s) or institution(s) which demonstrate outstanding and exemplary contributions to the advancement of the world’s medicine and public health services. Each Award consists of a medal, a certificate and a cash prize of 100,000 US dollars. (TNA)