Impressive image: A red blood cell - infected with malaria - bursts open; this photo won second place at the Eureka Prize for Science Photography
Credit: Steven Morton/Monash University
SYDNEY: A Sydney-based scientist with a new hypothesis on human obesity, based on his research into swarming locusts, has taken one of the top prizes at this year’s Eureka Awards for Australian science.
The awards, presented by the Australian Museum in Sydney, took place last night in a glittering ceremony at the Royal Randwick Racecourse. The annual event – dubbed the ‘Oscars’ of Australian science - reward outstanding achievement across 20 categories spanning scientific and medical research, science leadership, science at school and science journalism.
Unstoppable force
The $10,000 Eureka Prize for Scientific Research went to Steven Simpson from the University of Sydney. Simpson discovered that locusts swarm en masse when they detect a shortage of protein in their diet. He found locusts then ‘march’ together, eating everything in their path and don’t stop until they have consumed enough protein.
Simpson was able to show that other animals, including humans, have a similar protein-driven appetite. As the modern human diet tends to be high in carbohydrates and fat, protein-hungry humans - like locusts - will continually over-eat until their protein intake has been satisfied. This phenomenon is now known as the ‘protein leverage effect’ and is likely to contribute to a better understanding of the causes of obesity in humans.
Other top Eureka Award winners included a group of 26 researchers from the Howard Florey Institute in Melbourne for their breakthrough work into treatments for the autoimmune disease Multiple Sclerosis (MS).
The team, led by Trevor Kilpatrick, took the Eureka Prize for Medical Research for their novel approach to MS research, which focuses on cytokines and their role in protecting nerves from attack.
Cytokines are able to stimulate or suppress the nervous system and can be used to produce biological-based MS treatments. The group has two potential MS treatments already under patent, one of which is hoped to go forward for clinical trials.
The nation's favourite
Voted Australia’s favourite scientist last night through the People’s Choice Award was 23-year-old PhD student Nicole Kuepper.
The young scientist from University of New South Wales in Sydney also took the Eureka Prize for Young Leaders in Environmental Issues and Climate Change for her work developing a revolutionary new solar cell.
Using several low-cost items including an ink-jet printer, nail polish and a pizza oven, Kuepper was able to put together the metal contacts needed for a simple and affordable electricity-producing solar cell.
“Nicole’s iJET solar cell will potentially bring affordable electricity to the poorest people in the world. But, more than this, it will be clean and renewable energy,” said Frank Howarth, Director of the Australian Museum.
