第九期 Ada Yonath

约纳特1939年出生于耶路撒冷，1962年在希伯来大学获学士学位，1964年在希伯来大学获硕士学位，1968年在魏茨曼科学研究所获X射线晶体学博士学位，1970年她组建了以色列第一个蛋白晶体学实验室，在魏茨曼科学研究所工作。约纳特曾因细菌抗药性方面的研究于2008年获欧莱雅和联合国教科文组织联合设立的“世界杰出女科学家成就奖”。

因“核糖体的结构和功能”的研究而获得2009年的诺贝尔化学奖。

From basic science to acute problems in modern medicine 

Striving to understand the process of the translation of the genetic code, a basic and most important process of life, we determined the structure and deciphered the mode of function of the ribosome, the universal cellular “factory” that performed the formation of the proteins (the cell workers) according to the genetic code. Owing to their vital role in cell life,  ribosomes are targeted by many antibiotics.Focusing on ribosome from multi-resistant pathogenic bacteria revealed the antibiotics binding modes, inhibitory actions and synergism pathways for almost all ribosomal antibiotics.

These indicated the principles of differentiation between patients and pathogens, suggested mechanisms leading to bacterial resistance and paved ways for improvement of existing antibiotics as well as for the design of advanced therapeutics capable of minimizing antibiotics resistance.