Judah Folkman, Tony Hunter, Joan Massagué, Bert Vogelstein and Robert A. Weinberg Prince of Asturias Award for Technical & Scientific Research 2004

At its meeting in Oviedo, the Jury for the 2004 Prince of Asturias Award for Technical and Scientific Research, made up of Mr. José Luis Álvarez Margaride, Mr. José Baselga, Mr. Antonio Fernández-Rañada, Mr. Luis Fernández-Vega Sanz, Mr. Santiago Grisolía, Mr. Juan José López Ibor, Mr. Emilio Lora Tamayo, Mrs. María del Carmen Maroto Vela, Mr. Enrique Moreno, Mr. Rafael Nájera Morrondo, Mr. César Nombela Cano, Mr. Fernando Ortiz Maslloréns, Mr. Miguel Ángel Pesquera, Mr. Rafael Puyol, Mr. Rafael Sariego García, Mr. Guillermo Suárez Fernández, chaired by Mr. Julio Rodríguez Villanueva with Mr. José Antonio Martínez-Álvarez as secretary unanimously confers the 2004 Prince of Asturias Award for Technical and Scientific Research on Spain's Joan Massagué, Tony Hunter - from Great Britain - and Judah Folkman, Bert Vogelstein and Robert Weinberg, of USA: five scientists who have developed a fundamental facet of cancer research and who lead the world in their field.

The scientists who have been given the Award, each within his different line of research, are at the forefront in the fight against the group of illnesses that goes under the name of cancer, a cure for which has become one of the greatest scientific challenges facing Mankind. The enormous impact of their research work - with over 266,000 references, the highest figure in any of the fields of the international scientific community - and the enormous value of their work are cornerstones for our knowledge of the fundamentals of cancer and the development of new types of treatment.

Joan Massagué stands out for his work on the characterisation and work mode of receptors that are critical to controlling cell proliferation; he has also contributed to a finer understanding of the mechanisms by which tumour metastasis is triggered. The discovery by Tony Hunter of tyrosine kinase enzymes leads on to a greater understanding of the transmission signals that spark cancer, and is basic to the recent development of new, highly-efficient anti-tumour drugs. We owe our knowledge of the vascular system by which tumours spread - a further cornerstone of therapeutic approaches in oncology - to Judah Folkman. Bert Vogelstein led key studies aimed at an understanding of the molecular basis of colon cancer. Thanks to his discoveries regarding accumulated sequential mutations of cancer-causing genes, this mutation model can be equally applied to provide further understanding of other types of tumour. Robert Weinberg, one of the pioneers in the identification of human oncogenes, has also contributed to our knowledge both of tumour supressor genes and cell-ageing processes and their link with cancer. In bestowing this Award, the Jury acknowledges the efforts of scientists throughout the world in their struggle to prevent and treat cancer; the five scientists who figure amongst them display an exemplary, unquestionable leadership.

Oviedo, 16th June 2004