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Woods Hole Scientist Wins Nobel Prize

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Oct 8, 2008 1:32 pm US/Eastern

Woods Hole Scientist Wins Nobel Prize

FALMOUTH (AP) ― Osamu Shimomura was surprised to get a phone call at his Falmouth home early Wednesday morning -- but he immediately knew why he was being called.
 
The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences announced that Shimomura was one of three people sharing this year's Nobel chemistry prize for the discovery and development of GFP, the green fluorescent protein first seen in jellyfish.

The protein is used as a laboratory tool to illuminate processes in living organisms, such as the development of brain cells or the spread of cancer cells.

Shimomura is an 80-year-old native of Japan and retired researcher at the Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole.

He says the honor was the result of perseverance and hard work during times of trial. He started his education in post-World War II Japan during a time of chaos.

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