The award, supported by the multinational biopharmaceutical company AstraZeneca, is made every three years in recognition of outstanding work that contributes to the development of a new reagent or method in the field of biomedical science.
Fodor’s research focuses on the molecular mechanisms of influenza virus replication, virus-host interactions, and host responses to viral infection. His research group played a pivotal role in uncovering the high-resolution structure of the influenza virus RNA-dependent RNA polymerase, and deciphering how influenza virus hijacks the host transcriptional machinery for the transcription of its own genes. A reverse genetics system for influenza virus, developed by Fodor and colleagues in the late 90s, is used for the preparation of a live attenuated influenza virus vaccine for the UK National Childhood Flu Immunisation Programme.
Fodor expressed his “surprise” and “delight ” at receiving the AstraZeneca Award. He said: “It is a great honour to join the list of previous eminent winners of this award. I accept this award on behalf of all past and present members of my group, and my collaborators. This would have not been possible without their hard work and dedication. I am also indebted to the Medical Research Council for generously supporting our research for many years.”
Ervin Fodor has been invited to give an award lecture at a Biochemical Society meeting scheduled for 2019. He will also receive a prize fund of £2000.
For more information on the Fodor lab research work visit: https://fodor.path.ox.ac.uk
For previous list of AstraZeneca awardees, visit: https://www.biochemistry.org/Awards/AstraZenecaAward.aspx
Written by Sonia Muliyil (@Muliyilsonia)