President Yitzhak Herzog and his wife Michal hosted today (Tuesday) at the President’s House the announcement of the winners of the Wolf Foundation Prize for 2023. The prize is awarded every year for a unique contribution in the fields of science and art.
At the event, the Minister of Education and Chairman of the Foundation Board, Yoav Kish, gave the President the decision of the Awards Committee for 2023.
(Photo: Amos Ben Gershom/L.A.M.)
Chemistry, medicine and more
This year the prizes are awarded in the fields of chemistry, medicine, mathematics, agriculture and art. Winners are selected by international judging panels.
The president of the country addressed the winners and said: “It is a real honor to be here, in this exciting occasion of announcing the winners of the Wolf Prize in its 45th year. I believe that it is not a coincidence that the legendary philanthropist Dr. Ricardo Wolf, whom I got to know as the ambassador of Cuba to Israel, chose Israel as the home of the award and a sign of pride for our country. In so many ways, the award he founded reflects much of what we value as a society and as a nation.
“Similar to the vision that guided the founders of our country, the spirit of discovery also has its roots in the belief that through a difficult process, we can break our way to new realities that are better than those that existed before.
When I look at the work of this year’s winners, what is immediately apparent is not only the human wisdom they reflect but also their necessity to alleviate human suffering and improve life on earth. Starting with their research in the field of the therapeutic possibilities of hormones, their understanding of the flow of water and pollutants in the soil, their work with RNA in dealing with human diseases, and ending with the renewed and sublime definition of visual art. All of these not only point to the intellectual dimensions of the pursuit of progress, but also remind us that the human soul is the engine of all this.’
(Photo: Amos Ben Gershom/L.A.M.)
Minister of Education and Chairman of the Wolf Foundation Council, Yoav Kish: “The winners of the Wolf Prize over the decades are the proof that everyone – regardless of their origin and the country in which they were born, regardless of their religion, place of residence or life circumstances – everyone can reach the highest possible achievements.”
the winners
The Wolf Prize in Medicine for 2023 will be awarded to Prof. Daniel Joshua Drucker, University of Toronto, Canada – for his pioneering work in elucidating the mechanisms and therapeutic potential of enteroendocrine hormones. His research led to scientific breakthroughs in the field of innovative clinical treatments for diabetes and obesity.
The Wolf Prize in Mathematics for 2023 will be awarded to Prof. Ingrid Dubshey, Duke University, United States- For her work in WAVELET theory and applied harmonic analysis.
The 2023 Wolf Prize in Chemistry will be awarded jointly to Professors Chuan Ha, University of Chicago, United States; Jeffrey Kelly, The Scripps Research Institute, United States; Hiroaki Shuga, University of Tokyo, Japan – For pioneering discoveries that shed light on the functions and pathological disorders of RNA and proteins and for developing strategies to use these bio-polymers in new ways to eradicate human diseases.
The 2023 Wolf Prize in Agriculture will be awarded to Prof. Martinus Theodore “Rin” van Gnochten, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil- For his groundbreaking work in understanding and predicting water flow and pollutant transport in soils.
The 2023 Wolf Prize in Art will be jointly awarded to Fujiko Nakaya, Japan ; Richard Julian Long, England – for redefining the possibilities of making art and changing the parameters of visual art.