Nobel Prize Awarded to Foundation for Biomedical Research Board Member

WASHINGTON, Oct. 10 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Foundation for Biomedical Research (FBR) congratulates Mario R. Capecchi today for the richly deserved honor of the 2007 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. Capecchi, who sits on FBR's Board of Governors, is currently a Distinguished Professor and Co-Chair of the Human Genetics Department at the University of Utah, School of Medicine.

"Groundbreaking research such as Dr. Capecchi's has enabled the study of diseases in a way never before thought possible," said FBR President Frankie L. Trull. "This further demonstrates the incredible power and promise of the humane use of animal models in medical research."

The Nobel Foundation recognized Capecchi and two other researchers for the discovery of "principles for introducing specific gene modifications in mice by the use of embryonic stem cells." Their studies resulted in genetically altered mouse models, innovating the way researchers work to combat such diseases as cancer, diabetes and Alzheimer's.

Capecchi's Nobel Prize-winning work involved gene targeting in mouse embryonic stem cells, allowing scientists to study the pathology of disease in a living system whose genes have been either inactivated or modified. Scientists can now target specific disease-causing genes in an effort to discover new cures or treatments that afflict both humans and animals.

Upon joining FBR's Board of Governors, Capecchi said, "I am a very strong advocate for the respect and support of animal research. My scientific life has been devoted to the use of mouse models for the understanding of the development of therapies of human disease as well as for the pathologies."

FBR's Board of Governors now includes ten Nobel Laureates. Capecchi is a recipient of numerous other awards, including the Albert Lasker Award in 2001.

FBR is the nation's foremost organization devoted to promoting public understanding, respect, and support for the humane and responsible use of animals in medical and scientific research. For more information on FBR, please visit its Web site at http://www.fbresearch.org.