• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology

MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology

One of the world's leading research institutes, our scientists are working to advance understanding of biological processes at the molecular level - providing the knowledge needed to solve key problems in human health.

  • Home
  • About LMB
  • Research
  • Research Groups
  • Students
  • Recruitment
  • Life at the LMB
  • Achievements
  • News & Events
Home > LMB News > Dr Venki Ramakrishnan wins 2009 Nobel Prize for Chemistry

Dr Venki Ramakrishnan wins 2009 Nobel Prize for Chemistry

Published on 7 October, 2009

Venki Ramakrishnan elected Honorary Fellow of the Academy of Medical SciencesThis year’s chemistry Nobel Prize has been awarded to Dr Venki Ramakrishnan of LMB for “studies of the structure and function of the ribosome”.
Venki Ramakrishnan shares the honour with Thomas A. Steitz (Yale University) and Ada E. Yonath (Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel). The trio showed how the information encoded on strands of DNA is translated into the proteins of life.

Working independently, they demonstrated what the ribosome looks like and how it functions at an atomic level using a visualisation method called X-ray crystallography. This technique allowed them to map the position of hundreds of thousands of atoms that make up the ribosome.

The research, scientists said, has had important medical implications. Many of today’s antibiotics act by stopping bacterial ribosomes from working, so further insight into the way ribosomes function could help develop new medicines.

Dr Ramakrishnan also highlighted that the breakthrough proved how important it is to fund research which doesn’t have immediate clinical applications. “The idea of supporting long-term basic research like that at LMB does lead to breakthroughs. The ribosome is already starting to show its medical importance”, he said.
The Nobel Laureate was born and educated in India, obtained his Ph.D at Ohio University and worked for 25 years in the States before joining LMB in 1999.

Dr Hugh Pelham, LMB Director, congratulated Venki on his spectacular achievements. “LMB aims to be a place where very challenging long-term projects can be supported, and I am delighted that Venki has shown just how successful this approach can be”.

Venki Ramakrishnan delivered his Nobel Lecture on 8 December at Aula Magna (Stockholm University) and received his Nobel Prize Medal from the hands of King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden at the awards ceremony which took place on 10 December at the Stockholm Concert Hall in Sweden.

Further information:

View the Nobel Lecture
View the Nobel Prize Ceremony
Read the Nobel Prize in Chemistry Press Release

Primary Sidebar

Search

  • Privacy & Cookies
  • Contact Directory
  • Freedom of Information
  • Site Map
Find Us
©2025 MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology,
Francis Crick Avenue, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Cambridge CB2 0QH, UK. 01223 267000

The MRC is part of UK Research and Innovation

Contact Us

This site uses cookies. The LMB may use cookies to analyse how you use our website. We use external analysis systems which may set additional cookies to perform their analysis. These cookies (and any others in use) are detailed in our Privacy and Cookies Policy and are integral to our website. You can delete or disable these cookies in your web browser if you wish, but then our site may not work as it is designed. Ok