7 US, European scientists win Israel’s Wolf Prize

Seven American and European scientists were named winners of Israel’s prestigious $100,000 Wolf Prize on Monday.

The Wolf Foundation said its prize in medicine went to Axel Ullrich of Germany for groundbreaking cancer research that has led to development of new drugs.

Sir David Baulcombe of Cambridge University was awarded Wolf Prize for agriculture research in defending plants against viruses.

The physics prize was shared by U.S. professor John F. Clauser, Alain Aspect of France and Anton Zeilinger of Austria for their work in quantum physics.

The mathematics prize was shared by two U.S-based professors: Shing-Tung Yau for geometric analysis, and Dennis Sullivan for contributions to algebraic topology and conformal dynamics.

Each category carries a $100,000 prize, which is then divided if there is more than one recipient.

The Wolf Foundation says 38 past winners have gone on to win Nobel prizes. The winners will receive the awards in a ceremony on May 13.

The Wolf Foundation was founded by the late German-born Dr. Ricardo Wolf, an inventor, philanthropist and former Cuban ambassador to Israel. The private non-profit foundation’s council is chaired by Israel’s education minister.