US scientist receives award for medicine research

American scientist Dr. Charles Rice was presented with his bel Prize award at a low-key ceremony in New York on Tuesday. pomp and ceremony of bel prize ceremonies have been reined in this year amid measures to slow spre of coronavirus.

re will be glitzy banquet horing winners in Stockholm or Oslo as global pandemic curtails usual celebrations.

Inste, ir achievements will be recognized and rewarded at low-key ceremonies where y live and work in Europe and United States.

Rice, fellow American Harvey J. Alter and British-born scientist Michael Houghton jointly won bel Prize for medicine for ir discovery of hepatitis C virus, a major source of liver disease that affects millions worldwide.

Anuncing prize, bel Committee ted that trio's work identified a major source of blood-borne hepatitis that couldn't be explained by previously discovered hepatitis A and B viruses.

ir work, dating back to 1970s and 1980s, has helped saved millions of lives, it said.

prestigious bel award comes with a gold medal and prize money of 10 million Swedish kror (over $1,118,000), courtesy of a bequest left 124 years ago by prize's creator, Swedish inventor Alfred bel.

Rice said he hasn't thought about what to do with prize money.

medicine prize carried particular significance this year due to coronavirus pandemic, which has highlighted importance that medical research has for societies and ecomies around world — and dam that a single virus can wreak on planet.