European Inventor of the Year 2007
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Around 600 guests gathered at the International Congress Center in Munich on 18 April to watch as the European Inventors of the Year 2007 were announced. The awards ceremony, jointly hosted by EPO President Alain Pompidou and European Commission Vice-President Günter Verheugen, honoured inventors - both individuals and teams - who have made a significant contribution to innovation in Europe.
Winners
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Industry:
Dr Franz Lärmer and Andrea Urban, of Bosch GmbH in Stuttgart, Germany, for their Bosch Process. The invention has revolutionised sensor technology and made possible - among other things - the life-saving airbag.
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SMEs/Research:
Catia Bastioli and her team at Novamont S.p.a in Novara, Italy, for inventing biodegradable plastics from starch, a renewable raw material. These plastics are used worldwide, for instance in eco-friendly refuse bags.
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Non-European countries
Dr Joseph P. Vacca and the team at Merck Research Laboratories in West Point, USA, for Crixivan, a protease inhibitor that has revolutionised HIV treatment, transforming the disease from a death sentence into a chronic condition.
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Lifetime achievement:
Professor Marc Feldmann from the Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology in London, United Kingdom, for identifying the role of cytokines in the treatment of autoimmune disorders, such as rheumatoid arthritis, and finding a treatment that has helped millions of people around the globe.
The European Inventor of the Year 2007 took place with the European Patent Forum 2007 and the European Commission's PATINNOVA07 conference.
See photos and information from the European Inventor of the Year 2006.