中国、日本、爱尔兰科学家分享今年诺贝尔医学奖

AS IT IS 2015-10-06 Ireland, Japan, China Scientists Share Nobel Prize for Medicine 中国、日本、爱尔兰科学家分享今年诺贝尔医学奖

The first of the 2015 Nobel Prizes has been announced. Sweden’s Nobel Prize committee says the Nobel Prize for medicine will go to scientists from Ireland, Japan and China.

William Campbell from Ireland and Satoshi Omura from Japan share the prize for their discovery of the drug avermectin. The Nobel committee praised their work on what it calls a “novel therapy.” The treatment fights infections caused by roundworm parasites².

The prize for medicine is also going to Chinese researcher Tu Youyou. She discovered artemisinin. Artemisinin is a drug that has sharply lowered the number of people who die from malaria³.

The committee said the discoveries have given the world powerful news ways to fight two powerful diseases. It said those diseases affect hundreds of millions of people every year. The committee added that, “The consequences in terms of improved human health and reduced suffering are immeasurable.”

Ms. Tu is the chief professor at the China Academy of Traditional Medicine. She is also the first Chinese citizen to be awarded the Nobel Prize in medicine. Mr. Campbell currently works as a research fellow emeritus⁴ at Drew University in New Jersey⁵. Mr. Omura has two doctorate⁶ degrees -- one in pharmaceutical⁷ sciences, the other in chemistry. He is professor emeritus at Kitasato University in Japan.

Doctors are now using avermectin to treat river blindness and lymphatic filariasis. Mr. Omura told the Associated Press that the drug resulted from a substance taken from a microbe found on a golf course near Tokyo. The researcher said he always carries a plastic bag so he can collect soil samples.

When asked if he likes to play golf, he smiled and said, "yes."

A member of the Nobel committee, also spoke⁸ with the AP. This member said that the award for Tu Youyou is the result of a major change in the way China performs scientific research. He says China has invested a lot of money in such research.

This member adds that the work of the three scientists could help end the health risk of diseases affecting 3.4 billion people.

Words in This Story

novel – adj. new and different from what has been known before

parasite¹ – n. an animal or plant that lives in or on another animal or plant and gets food or protection from it

emeritus – n. one retired⁹ from professional life but permitted to retain as an honorary title the rank of the last office held

doctorate degree – n. the highest award given by a university on completion of a study program

golf course – n.  a large area of land set up for the game of golf

bag – n. a container made of thin material (such as paper, plastic, or cloth) that opens at the top and is used for holding or carrying things

1 parasite   

n.寄生虫；寄生菌；食客

参考例句：

• The lazy man was a parasite on his family.那懒汉是家里的寄生虫。
• I don't want to be a parasite.I must earn my own way in life.我不想做寄生虫，我要自己养活自己。

2 parasites   

寄生物( parasite的名词复数 )； 靠他人为生的人； 诸虫

参考例句：

• These symptoms may be referable to virus infection rather than parasites. 这些症状也许是由病毒感染引起的，而与寄生虫无关。
• Kangaroos harbor a vast range of parasites. 袋鼠身上有各种各样的寄生虫。

3 malaria   

n.疟疾

参考例句：

• He had frequent attacks of malaria.他常患疟疾。
• Malaria is a kind of serious malady.疟疾是一种严重的疾病。

4 emeritus   

adj.名誉退休的

参考例句：

• "Perhaps I can introduce Mr.Lake Kirby,an emeritus professor from Washington University?"请允许我介绍华盛顿大学名誉教授莱克柯尔比先生。
• He will continue as chairman emeritus.他将会继续担任荣誉主席。

5 jersey   

n.运动衫

参考例句：

• He wears a cotton jersey when he plays football.他穿运动衫踢足球。
• They were dressed alike in blue jersey and knickers.他们穿着一致，都是蓝色的运动衫和灯笼短裤。

6 doctorate   

n.(大学授予的)博士学位

参考例句：

• He hasn't enough credits to get his doctorate.他的学分不够取得博士学位。
• Where did she do her doctorate?她在哪里攻读博士？

7 pharmaceutical   

adj.药学的，药物的；药用的，药剂师的

参考例句：

• She has donated money to establish a pharmaceutical laboratory.她捐款成立了一个药剂实验室。
• We are engaged in a legal tussle with a large pharmaceutical company.我们正同一家大制药公司闹法律纠纷。

8 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

9 retired   

adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的

参考例句：

• The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
• Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。