NOBEL PRIZE 2008

Physiology or Medicine: French scientists, Luc Montagnier and Francoise Barre-Sinoussi discovered the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) that causes AIDS that has killed millions of people since 1980 got the prize. Herald zur Hausen, Director of Cancer Research Center, shared half of the prize for the work that went against the current dogma as to the cause of cervical cancer. He set forth the oncogenic human papilloma virus (HPV) caused cervical cancer, the second most common cancer among women.

Chemistry: Osamu Shimomura of Japan and Martin Chalfic and Roger Tsien of the US won the Nobel Chemistry Prize for a fluorescent protein (GFP) that has revolutionized research in medicine and biology, enabling scientists to get a visual fix on how organs function, on the spread of disease and the response of infected cells to treatment.

Physics: Makoto Kobayashi and Toshihide Masbawa, two Japanese won the Physics Prize along with Japanese-born-American Yoichiro Nambu for theoretical work in fundamental particles.

Literature: The French writer Jean-Marie Gustave Le Clezio, an author of new departures, poetic adventure and sensual ecstasy, explorer of humanity beyond and below the reigning civilization was awarded Nobel Prize for Literature.

Peace: Finland’s former president Martti Ahtisaari won the Nobel Peace Prize for a long career of peace making around the world from Namibia to Kosovo.

Economics: U.S. economist Paul Krugman, a prolific columnist and fierce critic of Washington's economic policies, Princeton University professor was awarded the prize for the formulated of a new trade analysis theory, which determines the effects of free trade and globalisation, as well as the driving forces behind worldwide urbanisation.