Prince Mahidol Award 2007 in the Field of Medicine

     Professor Axel Ullrich, Director of Molecular Biology at the Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Germany.

     Professor Axel Ullrich has played a leading role in the study of molecular mechanisms of cancer and pioneering the concept of ‘targeted cancer therapy’. Consequently, the development of drugs that act specifically at the targeted areas offers better efficacy in killing cancer cells while doing less harm to normal cells and, therefore, reducing the side effect of cancer treatment.

     Professor Ullrich discovered and evaluated the biological and clinical significance of a breast oncogene called HER2/c-erbB2 and found that patients with this type of cancer experience critical and rapidly-spreading tumors. His laboratory then developed several monoclonal antibodies against HER2, one of which was subsequently humanized and developed into Herceptin (Trastuzumab) as a therapeutic for the treatment of metastatic breast cancer. As patients with HER2-type cancer have responded very well to the treatment, this targeted therapy which Professor Ullrich developed became a model for therapy experiments targeting other types of cancers.

     Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women around the world. Over 1.2 million people are diagnosed with breast cancer each year and more than 500,000 die from this cancer. Professor Ullrich’s contribution in the field of targeted cancer therapy has therefore opened a new era for all cancer treatment methods. It has inspired subsequent development of therapeutics for other types of cancers and has benefited lives of millions of people around the world.

Prince Mahidol Award 2007 in the Field of Public Health
In the Field of Public Health :

     Professor Basil Stuart Hetzel, Honorary President of the International Council for Control of Iodine Deficiency Disorders (ICCIDD), Australia

     Professor Hetzel is a world leading scientist who has extensively studied the adverse effect of iodine deficiency upon human health, particularly upon the development of the human brain. He is also a key figure in the global campaign against iodine deficiency disorders.

     Between 1976 and 1985, Professor Hetzel and his team demonstrated the effect of iodine deficiency on brain development and the central nerve system. He showed that severe iodine deficiency can lead to maternal and fetal hypothyroidism which cause endemic cretinism and mental retardation. His studies also proved that the IQ of children who have resided in areas with iodine deficiency decreased by 13.5 points in comparison to the IQ of children in areas without iodine deficiency. This serious illness can be prevented by providing iodine to women during the reproductive period before conception.

     Professor Hetzel founded and became the first executive director of the International Council for Control of Iodine Deficiency Disorders (ICCIDD). The Council has helped promote the comprehensive use of iodized salt in the consumption goods, food industries, and livestock sectors in approximately 100 countries. This work has affected more than 2 billion people around the world.

     Professor Hetzel’s work led to the popular use of the term “Iodine Deficiency Disorders” and increased the awareness of the harmful effects of iodine deficiency. Professor Hetzel’s endeavors against the iodine deficiency have made a significant contribution to the proper development of human population around the world, including Thailand.

Prince Mahidol Award 2007 in the Field of Public Health
In the Field of Public Health :

     Dr. Sanduk Ruit, Medical Director of Tilganga Eye Centre, Kathmandu, Nepal

     Dr. Sanduk Ruit introduced and further developed an effective suture-less operation technique that allows rapid operations to be performed for a large number of patients in remote locations. He has also played a leadership role in the manufacturing of inexpensive high-quality intraocular lenses for this operation, costing 50 times less than lenses imported from other countries. Working in Nepal, Dr. Ruit established eye centers as well as mobile eye clinics for treating patients with cataract in Nepal and the Himalayan region, which later extended to other countries including China, India, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Vietnam and North Korea.

     Furthermore, Dr. Ruit and his team have trained more than 500 eye surgeons and healthcare personnel from both developed and developing countries in Asia, North America, Europe, and Australia on this cost-effective and portable technique of eye surgery, resulting in more than 35 millions cataract operations around the world.

     As an ophthalmologist in a developing country, Dr. Sanduk Ruit is internationally recognized for his tireless work in restoring the eye sights of millions of cataract patients in poor countries through safe, effective and economical surgery. His comprehensive cataract treatment, extending from operational method, medical equipment, to public health service, has benefited millions of lives throughout the world.