THE 2001 L’ORÉAL AWARDS FOR WOMEN IN SCIENCE WITH THE SUPPORT OF UNESCO: EXCEPTIONAL WOMAN RESEARCHERS FROM FIVE CONTINENTS

PARIS, February 21 (No.2001-24) - At the moment when genes and human genome are making headlines with the prospect of newly discovered applications in many areas of science, health and the quality of life, the annual L’ORÉAL Awards for Women in Science with the support of UNESCO will be presented next week to women in science who are playing a key role in this fantastic adventure that has profoundly affected international science. The Awards recognize women researchers from: North America, Asia/Pacific, Latin America, Europe, and Africa.

Joan STEITZ (United States) took her first steps in research with James Watson, co-discoverer with Francis Crick of the DNA structure. Since then, her research has brought to light the mechanisms of gene expression and opened the way to the diagnosis of rheumatic and autoimmune diseases. Today she is Sterling Professor of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry at Yale University.

Suzanne CORY (Australia) studied with Francis Crick at the start of her career. She is now director of the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research in Melbourne, Australia, where she is pursuing research into understanding the process of programmed cell death, which is at the origin of many cancers. Her work has resulted in breakthroughs of great clinical importance for the development of cancer diagnosis and treatment.

Mayana ZATZ (Brazil) is leading a fight against neuromuscular dystrophies. She is concerned at every level, from the identification of genes associated with the illness to the preoccupations of their families. She participated in the sequencing of the first plant pathogen (Xylella), published in July 2000, and she was recently named to head a center of the Human Genome.

Anne McLAREN (United Kingdom) accomplished remarkable work on embryo development. This research resulted in the development of in vitro fertilization and prenatal diagnosis. Today her research at the Wellcome/CRC Institute in Cambridge pushes the limits further, with germ cells and pluripotential stem cells.

The fifth laureate, Adeyinka Gladys FALUSI (Nigeria), has been studying molecular genetics related to hereditary blood diseases such as alpha-thalassaemia (malaria) and sickle cell disease. Her research at the University of Ibadan, Nigeria, has been instrumental in opening the way to prevention of these diseases through prenatal diagnosis.

The five-year agreement signed by L’ORÉAL and UNESCO in September 1999 launched a project that encourages the participation of women in all levels of science. The awards program was born of a common wish to focus on the role of women in the development and sharing of knowledge, underscoring the desire to see scientific research devoted to human health and well being.

The program also includes the UNESCO - L’ORÉAL Fellowships awarded to ten young women researchers, selected from five regions of the world, whose work has already shown promise, from genetics to ecosystems. The 2001 Fellowships are going to women from Congo, Nigeria, Egypt, Lebanon, Malaysia, New Zealand, Bulgaria, Slovakia, Mexico, and Colombia.

The 2001 Awards for Women in Science will be presented in a ceremony at UNESCO headquarters in Paris on Wednesday, February 28 at 8 p.m. All fifteen of these exceptional women will be present.

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Contacts at L’ORÉAL:

Press Office: Lorrain Kressmann
tel. 33 (0) 1 47 56 40 24 - fax 33 (0)1 47 56 40 54 - http://www.loreal.com

For Women in Science: Bruce Singer
tel. 33 (0)1 47 56 42 55 - fax 33 (0)1 47 56 42 59 - moile 33 (0) 6 80 43 64 68

FWIS-infos@dgc.loreal.com

Contact at UNESCO

Press Service
tel. 33 (0) 1 45 68 17 44/48 - fax 33 (0) 1 45 68 56 52 - www.unesco.org