Shaw Prize for Patrick Cramer

 The biochemist is honoured for his pioneering work in the field of gene transcription. Patrick Cramer is director at the Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Natural Sciences in Göttingen and is President-elect of the Max Planck Society. MPG / David Ausserhofer - Patrick Cramer shares the prestigious award in the life sciences with Eva Nogales from the University of California, Berkeley. Both scientists have made significant contributions to elucidating gene transcription, one of the fundamental processes to life, through the lens of structural biology. With the help of this copying process, living cells create copies of their genes, which subsequently function as blueprints for protein production. Patrick Cramer's research has shed light on how so-called RNA polymerases control this process. The Shaw Prize, which is awarded annually in the domains of life sciences, mathematics, and astronomy, is endowed with one million US dollars in each category.