The third edition of the Millennium Technology Prize, or also known as the nobel of technology, as it is endowed with 1,150 euros, has fallen to the American scientist Robert Langer who directs the largest medical engineering laboratory at the prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
The Finnish Academy of Technology and the International Selection Committee described Professor Langer's work as "pioneering" for his innovation and subsequent development of biomaterials applied to the use of drugs and regenerative tissue that has significantly improved the health of millions of people. people".
For his part, the President of the Millennium Prize Foundation, Stig Gustavson, stated "the objective of this prize is to give a human face to technology. We are not rewarding discoveries or inventions that are going to increase the profits of the pure and simple technology industry, but those innovations that improve people's quality of life.
Langer's contribution to the field of biotechnology is highly recognized, especially the delivery of drugs to damaged and slowly dissolving tissues, without the need for injections or other treatments. Among his many achievements are also advances in the recovery of muscle tissues and blood vessels.
According to the laureate scientist in his thank you speech, in the future "spare organs can be created for any part of the body or even genes."
The Millennum Prize was established in 2004 with public and private funding from Finland. In the first edition, in that same year, the Nobel Prize in technology went to Tim-Berners-Lee, considered the father of the Internet, and in the second edition in 2006 it went to the Japanese Shuji Nakamura for his work on the LED diode as light emitter.
The sober award ceremony took place in the Finnish Convention Hall and was chaired by the President of the Nordic country Tarja Halonen.