Honour for Dundee enzyme expert

Prof Hardie will receive the honour later this month

A Dundee University professor has been named as this year's recipient of the prestigious 2008 Rolf Luft Award.

Professor Grahame Hardie will receive the honour at a special ceremony in Stockholm later this month for his work in helping to understand diabetes.

The accolade recognises Professor Hardie's discovery over twenty years ago of an enzyme called AMPK.

The award was created in 2000 in honour of the endocrinmologist Prof Rolf Luft from the Karolinska Institute.

Prof Hardie, who is head of the division of molecular physiology in the college of life sciences at Dundee, developed the concept that AMPK acts as the key sensor of energy status in living cells and organisms.

Looking at the list of previous winners of this prize it is a real honour to be included in their company Prof Grahame Hardie Award winner

During exercise, when the demand for energy is dramatically increased in muscle, AMPK switches on the uptake and metabolism of glucose and fats to provide the required energy.

It is thought to be responsible for many of the health benefits of regular exercise.

His work gave new insight into conditions like type 2 diabetes and cancer.

In response to the news, Prof Hardie said he was "absolutely delighted".

Key findings

He added: "Looking at the list of previous winners of this prize it is a real honour to be included in their company.

"It's also pleasing to receive this particular prize because the work we do is relevant to some of the key findings made by Rolf Luft."

Rolf Luft discovered the first human disorder (Luft's disease) linked to defects in mitochondria, which generate the universal carrier of energy (ATP) within cells.

Prof Hardie said: "We have shown that it is the AMPK system that monitors the production of ATP and mounts a response if it is compromised, as would happen in Luft's disease.

"Sadly, Rolf Luft died last year and I never met him, but I'm sure he would have been very interested in our research in Dundee."

The award marks the second time in three years that a Dundee academic has received the prize - Prof Sir Philip Cohen received the honour in 2006.