AstraZeneca Nobel Medicine Initiative

The 1996 Nobel Laureate in Physiology or Medicine Professor Peter Charles Doherty recently delivered a series of inspiring lectures, thought provoking media debates and engaging roundtable discussions with researchers and scientist in Bangalore India, as part of the AstraZeneca Nobel Medicine Initiative.

The Initiative, which aims to increase interest in Nobel Prize awarded achievements within the fields of Physiology or Medicine among the general public, students and researchers, was the first of this year’s planned events and was hosted by India for the first time.

Professor Doherty enthralled his audiences as he recounted his experiences in winning a Nobel Prize for his groundbreaking work along with fellow award recipient Professor Rolf Zinkernagel. Together, they discovered how the body’s immune system recognizes virus-infected cells, which laid the foundations for a wider understanding of how it recognizes both foreign microorganisms and its own. The programme encompassed events at both the Indian Institute of Science (ISSc) and the AstraZeneca R&D facility in Bangalore.

“As AstraZeneca is an innovation-driven company, I think it is excellent that we can provide such a unique opportunity for people to interact with Nobel laureates like Professor Doherty and learn directly about world renowned scientific work,” said Dr Steve Yang, VP Asia and Emerging Markets R&D. “Doing so will increase scientific understanding and awareness of how innovative medical breakthroughs and treatments can improve patient health.”