Italian Professor Dr Napoleone Ferrara in medicine and American Prof Dr Barry H Rumack in public health were presented with the Prince Mahidol Award for 2023 by Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn at a ceremony on Wednesday.
Both of them expressed gratitude for the award that recognises their scientific research enhancing medical treatments. They were among 92 nominations for the award from 31 countries worldwide.
The ceremony for the award was held at the Chakri Maha Prasat Throne Hall, Grand Palace.
Dr Ferrara discovered the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and the identification and purification of VEGF as a potent mitogen specifically for vascular endothelial cells.
His research has resulted in developing the anti-VEGF antibody, Bevacizumab, which is used in treating highly vascularised and aggressive cancers.
Professor Dr Barry H Rumack, left, and Professor Dr Napoleone Ferrara receive the Prince Mahidol Award.
His pioneering work included the development of the anti-VEGF Fab fragment known as Astana Ranibizumab, and the scientific breakthrough has improved the quality of life for many Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) patients, especially in an ageing society.
Anti-VEGF therapy has led to the worldwide use of anti-VEGF drugs and has benefited millions of patients worldwide.
Dr Ferrara said he hoped his medical research and development efforts would expand further study for better medical treatment.
Dr Barry H Rumack said it was his great honour to receive the award, which he has described as meaningful for those in medicine and public health. The award, he said, inspires them to make further contributions to health development.
Dr Rumack said he was interested in the problem of malnutrition, in which each individual needs a different level of medicine and nutrients.
"I do hope that my research will further be developed to deal with the malnutrition problem, which over 728 million people are suffering from," he said, adding that it is a major issue in southern Africa. "But also, the United States many eat less protein, but consume more carbohydrates," he said.
Dr Rumack said he was interested in the pharmacologic and toxicologic characteristics of common drugs such as paracetamol, whose toxicity is responsible for 40-70% of acute liver failure cases worldwide.
Through his study on the efficacy of N-acetylcysteine as an antidote, a treatment protocol was formed, which became the global standard for managing paracetamol toxicity and led to a drastic reduction in liver failure from 54% to nearly 0%.
He also pioneered using Poisindex as a poison information database and heralded in the digital age for poison centres and hospitals worldwide. His work with paracetamol toxicity also continued, resulting in ever-improving and more individualised patient management.
The Prince Mahidol Award Foundation under Royal Patronage was established on Jan 1, 1992, in commemoration of the centenary of the birth of His Royal Highness Prince Mahidol of Songkla. Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn is the president. It annually confers two Prince Mahidol Awards upon individuals or institutes who have demonstrated outstanding and exemplary contributions to advancing the world's medical and public health services.
Winners receive a medal, a certificate and U$$100,000 (3.6 million baht). In the past 31 years, it has been conferred on 94 individuals and institutions. Among the laureates, four were Thai nationals and six won the Nobel Prize.
