Dual Heineken
Prize and Nobel
Prize winners
World ofHeineken 39 - winter 2008/2009
Over the past years, 10 Heineken
Prize winners have gone on to
become Nobel Prize winners.
The Heineken Prizes for Art and
Sciences are now among the most
prestigious international awards in
the world. The following winners of
the Heineken Prizes have since won
Nobel Prizes:
Christian de Duve Dr. H.P. Heineken
Prize for Biochemistry and
Biophysics 1973 Nobel Prize in
Physiology or Medicine 1974
Aaron Klug Dr. H.P. Heineken Prize
for Biochemistry and Biophysics
1979 Nobel Prize in Chemistry
1982
Thomas R. Cech Dr. H.P. Heineken
Prize for Biochemistry and
Biophysics 1988 Nobel Prize in
Physiology or Medicine 1989
Paul C. Lauterbur Dr. A.H. Heineken
Prize for Medicine in 1989 Nobel
Prize in Physiology or Medicine
2003
Luc Montagnier Dr. A.H. Heineken
Prize for Medicine in 1994 Nobel
Prize in Physiology or Medicine
2008
Sir Paul M. Nurse Dr. H.P. Heineken
Prize for Biochemistry and
Biophysics 1996 Nobel Prize in
Physiology or Medicine 2001
Barry J. Marshall Dr. A.H. Heineken
Prize for Medicine in 1998 Nobel
Prize in Physiology or Medicine
2005
Eric R. Kandel Dr. A.H. Heineken
Prize for Medicine in 2,000 Nobel
Prize in Physiology or Medicine
2,000
Roger Y. Tsien Dr. H.P. Heineken
Prize for Biochemistry in 2002
and Biophysics Nobel Prize in
Chemistry 2008
Andrew Z. Fire Dr. H.P. Heineken
Prize for Biochemistry and
Biophysics 2004 Nobel Prize in
Physiology or Medicine 2006
IMPROVING THE AIR THAT WE BREATHE
When the Dutch environmental epidemiologist
Bert Brunekreef heard in April 2008 that he
had won the Heineken Prize for Environmental
Sciences, he confessed to being completely
taken by surprise. "I was in the UK when I
received the phone call. I must admit I was
absolutely flattered. When I go about my work
I don't think about winning prizes."
Painting a picture of Bert Brunekreef's
contributions to environmental science is
no easy task because they are so extensive
and varied. In 2005 the scientist founded
the Institute for Risk Assessment Sciences at
Utrecht University. He is still the director of
the institute today. Surprisingly, some of his
most groundbreaking work has focused on
the environment that exists inside peoples'
homes.
CHANGES IN POLLUTION
"It is quite easy for fine airborne particles
from traffic pollution to enter houses. Air
filters on houses might be able to reduce
pollution coming indoors. But this still needs
to be systematically tested. We really don't
think enough about the quality of the air
inside our houses," said Brunekreef.
Over the last 15 years Brunekreef focused on
air pollution caused by local traffic.
"If you think about it, we have fixed many of
the problems in developed countries such as
those caused by coal combustion for home
heating. Industrial polluters have mostly been
moved out of cities and countries to less
densely populated areas or countries with
lower pollution control guidelines.
One problem that is hard to get around
though is traffic. Despite improvements
in engine technology such as soot filters
for diesel vehicle engines and catalytic
converters, there is an increase in the
amount of traffic. We have learned more
about living near traffic and also the effects
that pollution has on drivers using the roads.
Another conclusion is that in the West we
have exported our polluting practices to
poorer countries. So things might be going
to plan in one part of the world but not
necessarily in other parts."
Other examples of the scientist's work are
the discovery that damp homes, dust mites
and mildew cause higher rates of asthma
and allergies among children. The Professor
also highlighted health problems caused by
trapping pollution inside homes that were
made more airtight, in order to conserve
energy during the oil crisis in the 1970s.
An important part of the environmental
epidemiologist's work involves interacting
with decision makers, such as those in the EU.
"Our work contributes to international
guidelines and standards. Such as urban
planning and how close housing, day care
centres and schools should be to motorways.
Another is re-routing trucks away from built
up areas. Based on our studies on children,
traffic air pollution causes them to wheeze,
cough and develop asthma. Some children
also have an increase in allergies to tree
or grass pollen. Their lungs do not work as
efficiently and that could cause them to die at
a younger age."
Professor Bert Brunekreef accepting his Award from
HBH Wiiiem-Aiexander, The Prince of Orange.
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