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The Clifford Prize recognises excellence in Cancer Research globally. The Prize represents an appreciation by Australian Scientists of the discoveries that have combined outstanding science with significant clinical relevance. The Prize comprises a Perpetual Trophy and an ad hominem glass sculpture (designed and manufactured by Nick Mount, and donated by Johnson & Johnson). The awardee also receives a magnum of "Grange Hermitage" one of the greatest products of Australia (donated by Penfolds). Because of the notion of recognising the best science with one of the country's best products, the Prize will also be known as the "Shiraz Prize". The presentation of the Prize will always be linked to the scientific symposium series 'Science amongst the Vines' that are held in the Barossa Valley every two years. This conjunction recognises the importance of high-powered small meetings as one of the major drivers of new ideas, gives the possibility for more junior scientists to interact closely with the recipients of the Prize, and emphasises Australia and, in particular, South Australia as a leader in scientific as well as gastronomic innovation. The Prize is named after Bob Clifford, the Chairman of
the Council of the Institute of Medical and Veterinary Science at a time
that this Institute became a leader in promoting scientific research and
began driving scientific endeavours in South Australia.
The main part of the sculpture represents a seed pod and figuratively refers to the germination of ideas that underlies great discovery. Within the seed pod are white lines representing DNA- the main culprit in cancer, but also a source of continual regeneration. The glass seed pod was made by traditional Italian Zanfirico techniques and the ballottini technique was used to generate the helices. The outside of the seed pod was treated by the battuto method to gain its feeling of cellularity. The main glass sculpture rests on three books-representing learning, two made of hard steel and one of hand made paper. A jarring wrought iron spike unites the two parts of the sculpture, representing the wounding of the natural harmonies by disease. The sculpture was designed by Nick Mount, who also manufactured
the glass components. Nick Mount is one of Australia's pre-eminent glass
artists. In a career spanning three decades his work has combined virtuoso
technique with a keen instinct for design, freely adapting traditional
Venetian decorative styles to his own distinctive sculptural approach.
He is recognised for his commissions, teaching, and exhibitions in Australia,
Europe, South America, the United States and Japan and his work is represented
in many major public and private collections. The hard steel and paper
books and the wrought iron spike were made by South Australian artisans
specialising in each material.
2007 Recipient: Professor Tony Hunter.
In 1979 Tony Hunter made the critical discovery that proteins can be phosphorylated on tyrosine residues and that this phosphorylation is mediated by a unique class of enzymes called tyrosine kinases. Tony Hunter also identified the mechanism by which the oncogenic tyrosine kinase, v-src, can promote tumorigenesis. These seminal discoveries not only established an entirely new mechanism by which signals could be transduced within cells, but also provided a key link between tyrosine kinases and cancer. This link now represents a central paradigm in biology and forms the cornerstone upon which new drugs for the treatment of cancer are being developed. Professor Hunter is Director of the Molecular and Cell Biology Laboratory at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies in La Jolla, California. He is a member of several distinguished organizations and has received many prestigious international awards for his pioneering work on cancer. We are delighted to present the 2007 Clifford Prize for Cancer Research to this exceptional scientist.
Past Recipents
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