3 Scientists Share 2007 Noble Peace Prize In Medicine

October 8, 2007 11:20 a.m. EST

Stockholm, Sweden - Three great scientists are sharing the 2007 Nobel Prize in medicine, two from the U.S., Mario R. Capecchi and Oliver Smithies, and one from Britain, Sir Martin J. Evans. The trio were responsible for magnificent discoveries and technique of manipulating mouse genes.

Their process has helped many scientists world wide to use mice to study the cause of heart disease, diabetes, cancer, cystic fibrosis and other uncommon diseases.

The 70-year-old Capecchi works at the University of Utah in Salt lake City. He was born in Italy. Smithies, 82, on the other hand was based at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill and was born in Britain while Evans, 66-year-old from England, works at Cardiff University.

The three scientists were given recognition for their gene targeting technique, which allowed them to study how genes affect health and disease and would help scientists modify particular genes in mice.

Award citation said, "Gene targeting has pervaded all fields of biomedicine. Its impact on the understanding of gene function and its benefits to mankind will continue to increase over many years to come."

Aside from the medicine Nobel prize award, there were also six other prestigious awards that have been lined-up this year.