CNIO Researcher Wins Eppendorf Award

The 2009 Eppendorf Award for Young European Investigators was presented to Dr Óscar Fernández-Capetillo of the Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO). The award is presented to young scientists up to the age of 35 for outstanding achievements in the field of biomedical research based on methods of molecular biology.

Currently Head of the Genomic Instability Group, CNIO in Madrid, Spain. Dr Óscar Fernández-Capetillo, 34, received the accolade for his groundbreaking research showing that endogenous DNA damage can through replicative stress (RS) lead to accelerated ageing. Replicative stress is intrinsically associated with DNA
replication and prevented mainly by the ATR kinase. By developing a murine model of the Seckel syndrome characterised by a severe deficiency in ATR, it was shown that Seckel mice suffer high levels of RS during embryogenesis and age rapidly because of accumulating DNA damage. Results achieved by Dr Fernández- Capetillo support that RS, particularly in utero, contributes to the onset of ageing in postnatal life, this being balanced by the activities of the checkpoint proteins ATR and p53.

Dr Heinz-Gerhard Köhn, Eppendorf AG Board Member, gave an opening address to the audience at the presentation ceremony, which was held in Dusseldorf, Germany, in November. A speech honouring the achievements of this year’s prize winner was also given by Professor Kai Simons, Director of the Max-Planck-Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics in Dresden, Germany.

The Eppendorf Award for Young European Investigators, is presented in partnership with the scientific journal Nature. Additional information about future submissions and of the 2009 award event and speeches can be found at www.eppendorf.com/award.