Saturday, June 23, 2007

AUSTRALIAN NOBEL PRIZE WINNER TO VISIT TAIWAN

Taipei, June 22 (CNA) Barry Marshall, Australia's most recent Nobel Prize for Medicine winner, will visit Taiwan and seek to inspire Taiwanese students' engagement in science, organizers said Friday in a press conference.

Marshall, 56, and his longtime collaborator Robin Warren were awarded the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 2005 for their discovery of the helicobacter pyroli bacterium and its role in gastritis and peptic ulcer disease. He is scheduled to visit Taiwan June 26-29 and deliver speeches to medical school students and high school students, National Taiwan University Hospital (NTUH) and Australian Education Center (AEC) announced.

The discovery identified the great majority of gastritis and peptic ulcer cases, which were previously thought to be chronic infections caused by stress and dietary factors, as being caused by the helicobacter pyroli and found that they were curable with just a short regimen of antibiotics.

"The real story about Marshall's visit is about the type of person he is, " said Dean Woodgate, Director of the AEC's education, science and training section.

Marshall was dismissed as "a crazy guy saying crazy things" about his hypothesis at first. To prove his theory, he experimented on himself, ingesting a turbid, foul-tasting solution of helicobacter pyroli.

The story of Marshall is one of a scientist who will do anything to prove his point, said NTUH physician and professor Lin Jaw-town.

"The achievement and story of Marshall represent two distinct characteristics of Australians: we like to give things a go and encourage friendship, " Woodgate said.

Marshall will also meet with President Chen Shui-bian, officials and scholars from the Ministry of Health, the National Science Council and Academia Sinica during his visit.