Heineken prizes
In 2000 His Royal Highness Prince Claus of the Netherlands presented five prizes in the field of the
arts and sciences. The prizes, made available by the Heineken Foundation and the Alfred Heineken
Fondsen Foundation, are awarded biannually by the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and
Sciences and are worth a total of USD 700,000.
The Dr H.P. Heineken prize for Biochemistry was awarded to James E. Rothman (1950). He receiv
ed the prize for an historic discovery, which provides a better understanding of diseases like dia
betes, cancer and AIDS. At present much work is being done to develop a new generation of medi
cines intended to be able to check the development of AIDS. The American Rothman has given
a major impetus to this development through his discovery of how proteins are transported within
a cell. This discovery has provided insight into major processes such as the release of insulin into
the blood stream, communication between nerve cells in the brain, and the penetration of viruses
(like HIV) that infect cells. When such a process malfunctions, this plays a major role in diabetes and
probably in specific forms of cancer as well.
The Dr A.H. Heineken prize for Medicine went to Professor Eric R. Kandel (1929). He received the
prize for his pioneering research into the mechanisms of learning processes and the memory. The
American professor used a sea snail for his research because the simple nerve system of this un
complicated mollusc lends itself perfectly to research into learning behaviour and memory forma
tion at cellular and molecular level. Thanks to Kandel's research the scientific world has gained
inter alia a greater understanding of the functioning of the long- and short-term memory of higher
and lower animal species. His discoveries may lead to clarification of the cause of various memory
disorders. Professor Kandel has meanwhile been awarded the Nobel prize for medicine.
The Dr A.H. Heineken prize for Environmental Sciences went to the Danish professor Poul
Harremoes (1934). He received the prize for his research into the biological treatment of waste
water. Harremoes, who is a professor at the Technical University of Denmark, was also awarded the
prize for his efforts to mobilize the scientific world with regard to research into and the reduction
of water pollution. In 1992 the Dane, who has been a member of the Scientific Committee of the
European Environmental Agency since 1994, received the Stockholm Water Prize.
The Dr A.H. Heineken prize for History was presented to historian Jan de Vries (1943). He receiv
ed the prize for his pioneering research into the development of the European economy in the
period 1500 to 1800. According to the jury De Vries 'exposed the roots of the modern market econo
my* and set out much historical data in an original and clear manner, revealing unexpected per
spectives. De Vries' research focuses on the way in which different economic factors reacted to
market transactions. Jan de Vries was born in the Netherlands but has lived in the United States
since his childhood and is an American citizen.
The Dr A.H. Heineken prize for Art was awarded to sculptor Guido Geelen (1961). He received the
prize for the unusual and innovative way he uses clay in his works. Guido Geelen makes sculptures
in which ceramics occupy an important place. He uses ceramic reproductions of utensils, which
he then arranges and stacks. Work by Geelen can be seen in the collections of the Stedelijk Museum
in Amsterdam, Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen in Rotterdam, Het Kruithuis and the Noordbra
bants Museum in 's-Hertogenbosch and the Rijksmuseum Kröller-Müller in Otterlo, among others.
HEINEKEN N V. ANNUAL REPORT 2000
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