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Nominees for Europe's top innovation prize announced
10 April 2008
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The European Inventor of the Year 2007 gala
This year's awards ceremony, which will take place in Ljubljana on 6 May, brings together some of the foremost inventors of the past decade, such as Eric De Clerq, who developed the drug cocktail which has become standard in AIDS treatment; Leonardo Chiariglione, the creator of digital TV and MPEG technology; and Stefan Hell, the scientist who overcame the conventional physical limits in light microscopy.
The nominees for the European Inventor of the Year awards 2008 are:
Lifetime achievement
- Erik De Clercq (Belgium) for landmark contributions to antiviral treatment, including the development of the drug cocktail which has become today's gold standard for AIDS treatment
- Stefan Hell (Germany) for overcoming long-established paradigms in optical physics by developing the powerful STED light microscope which facilitates new breakthroughs in medical research
- Leonardo Chiariglione (Italy) for developing the videocompression technology leading to the MPEG format for motion video and audio, and for his work in setting the technical standards for digital TV
Industry
- Svend Havelund, John Broberg Halstrom, Ib Jonassen, Asser Sloth Andersen and Jan Markussen (Denmark) for Novo Nordisk: for significantly improving the safety and quality of life of diabetes patients with a new insulin derivative for once-daily administration
- Alain Porte, André Robert and Hervé Batard (France) for Airbus: for filing the first patent effectively tackling noise pollution from aeroplane engines, enabling airlines to serve destinations around the world 24 hours a day
- Norbert Enning, Ulrich Klages, Heinrich Timm, Gundolf Kreis, Alois Feldschmid, Christian Dornberg, and Karl Reiter (Germany) for Audi: for revolutionising automotive manufacturing by making car frames lighter and safer through the use of aluminium
SMEs/research
- Bertrand Séraphin and Guillaume Rigaut (France) for EMBL: for creating an advanced biotechnological method for purifying biomolecule complexes, for fast and efficient drug development and medical research
- Sönke Siegfriedsen (Germany) for Aerodyn: for contributing to the use of new renewable energy sources by developing crucial technologies for offshore wind parks
- Douglas Anderson, Robert Henderson and Roger Lucas (United Kingdom) for Optos: for developing a new ophthalmoscope laser scanning technology for the eye which allows for painless and powerful examination of the retina with a view to earlier detection of dangerous medical conditions such as eye cancers, diabetes and high blood pressure
Non-European countries
- Philip S. Green (United States) for SRI International: for developing a robotic surgery system that allows surgeons to perform complex procedures with maximum precision
- Van L. Phillips (United States) for Flex Foot: for developing an exceptionally powerful and flexible prosthetic leg which improves the mobility of those who have lost a limb, even allowing them to excel in athletics
- Stephen R. Quake, Marc A. Unger, Hou-Pu Chu, Todd A. Thorsen, Axel Scherer (United States) for the California Institute of Technology: for providing a breakthrough in nanotechnology by developing an integrated fluidic circuit - a tool comparable to a computer microchip - which allows researchers to run experiments with quantities of liquids invisible to the eye
The European Inventor of the Year awards were founded in 2006 and have since been presented each year by the EPO and EC to inventors who have made an outstanding contribution to innovation in Europe and beyond.
The awards will be presented by the President of the Republic of Slovenia, Danilo Türk, European Commission Vice-President Günter Verheugen and EPO President Alison Brimelow at a gala event in Ljubljana on 6 May, held in conjunction with the European Patent Forum 2008.
Further information
- Press: Press release of 10.4.2008
- EPO events: The European Patent Forum and European Inventor of the Year 2008
- EPO events: European Inventor of the Year 2008 nominees
- Press: Photos of the nominees for the European Inventor of the Year 2008
- Podcast: Nominees in the category "Industry"
- Video: Statements of all nominees