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Virginia Scientist Wins 2002 PhARF Award
for Allergy Research
3/4/2002
Pharmacia Diagnostics
NEW YORK (March 4, 2002) – The Pharmacia Allergy
Research Foundation (PhARF) today presented the 2002 PhARF
Award for allergy research to Anna Pomés, Ph.D., research
director, Indoor Biotechnologies, Inc., Charlottesville,
Virginia. The award ceremony took place at the 58th annual
meeting of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology
in New York. Dr. Pomés, who earned a doctorate in
neurobiology at the University of Barcelona in 1993, was
selected unanimously by PhARF’s scientific board. Board
chairman professor Paul O’Byrne, M.B., F.R.C.P. (C),
head, department of respirology, McMaster University, Hamilton,
Ontario, Canada, noted that “Dr. Pomés’ outstanding
work is at the cutting edge of research examining the biological
function of allergens and determinants of allergenicity;
it will help advance the development of rational immunotherapeutic
strategies.”
PhARF was founded in 1987 to honor the 20th anniversary
of the discovery of IgE, the immunoglobulin that causes classical
allergic diseases such as asthma, hay fever, eczema and anaphylactic
shock. It is sponsored by Pharmacia Diagnostics, the world’s
leading company in in vitro allergy diagnostic systems. Its
scientific board consists of internationally recognized scientists
in the field of allergy.
PhARF’s mission is to encourage progress in allergy
research and to serve as a forum for scientific exchange
among asthma, allergy and immunology specialists. Each year
PhARF awards a personal prize, currently valued at $50,000,
on a designated research theme to an outstanding investigator
who has made a novel contribution to the field of allergy
through creative and independent research. The research theme
chosen for the 2002 award was “Determinants of Allergenicity,” which
includes host and environmental factors affecting allergic
response and factors making a protein allergenic.
The prize was awarded at a lunch symposium that featured
lectures by Dr. Pomés and Martin Chapman, Ph.D., professor
of medicine, the University of Virginia, and president, Indoor
Biotechnologies.
Pharmacia Diagnostics, a business unit of Pharmacia Corporation,
is the world leader in allergy diagnostics in vitro (by means
of blood samples) and also offers diagnostic tests for autoimmune
diseases. The company has 1000 employees working in research
and development, manufacturing and marketing. Headquartered
in Uppsala, Sweden, Pharmacia Diagnostics has subsidiaries
in all major countries.
Pharmacia Corporation (NYSE:PHA) is a top-tier global pharmaceutical
company with a leading agricultural subsidiary. Pharmacia's
innovative medicines and other products save lives and enhance
health and wellness. Pharmacia's 59,000 people work together
with many diverse stakeholders to bring these benefits to
people around the world, and to create new health solutions
for the future.
Media Contacts:
Effie Malmberg, Secretary General, PhARF, Tel + 46 18 30
29 25, Mobile: + 46 70 514 23 85, Email: effie.malmberg@hemag.se
Joseph Burkett, Pharmacia Corporation, Kalamazoo, Michigan,
USA, Tel: (616) 833-2693, Mobile: (616) 760-1774, Email:
joseph.s.burkett@pharmacia.com
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