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TAU Cancer Specialist Wins Prestigious EMET Prize
Thursday, November 3, 2005
Prof. Yosef Shiloh of TAU's Sackler Faculty of Medicine honored for research into genetics of cancer
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Prof. Yossi Shiloh
| Prof. Yosef Shiloh of TAU's Sackler Faculty of Medicine has been awarded the prestigious EMET Prize for 2005. The EMET Prize is an annual prize given for excellence in academic and professional achievements in science, arts and culture, which has far reaching influence on Israeli society.
The prizes, awarded in a total amount of $1 million annually, are sponsored by the A.M.N Foundation for the Advancement of Science, Art and Culture in Israel, under the auspices of the Prime Minister of Israel. The prize committee is headed by retired Supreme Court Justice Gabriel Bach.
Prof. Shiloh is a world-renowned researcher in cancer genetics, and is incumbent of the David and Inez Myers Chair for Cancer Genetics at Tel Aviv University. In 1995 Prof. Shiloh and his team succeeded in isolating the gene for ataxia-telangiectasia (A-T), a rare hereditary disorder that leads to neurodegeneration, immunodeficiency, radiation sensitivity and cancer predisposition. The discovery was hailed by the prestigious American publication Science as a medical equivalent of the Rosetta Stone in deciphering a host of biochemical mysteries. Since then, Prof. Shiloh's lab has made several seminal discoveries about the function of the A-T gene, especially in defending the living cell from the consequences of radiation damage.
Prof. Shiloh heads the world's largest center of multidisciplinary A-T research at Tel Aviv University. His research has paved the way for more accurate diagnosis of the disease in patients as well as its prenatal diagnosis and has led to new directions in the search for potentially effective treatment. His research has significantly advanced scientists' understanding of genetic predisposition to cancer and has important ramifications for understanding certain types of neurodegeneration and immunodeficiencies.
Prof. Shiloh is the holder of four patents and the recipient of numerous honors and awards, including the Teva Pharmaceuticals Industries Prize in Biomedical Research. A member of 13 professional societies in Israel, the US, and Europe, he has published extensively and serves on the editorial boards of renowned journals in the field.
The A.M.N. Foundation for the advancement of Science, Art and Culture promotes research and development in Israel to improve the welfare of Israeli society. Prizes are awarded annually in the exact sciences, life sciences, social sciences, humanities and Judaism, as well as art and culture.
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