British academics awarded Nobel Prizes in chemistry and physics

Prof Sir J Fraser Stoddart was jointly awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry with Professors Bernard Feringa and Jean-Pierre Sauvage for their development of molecular machines that could potentially be used for the delivery of drugs inside the human body and to develop new smart materials.

Prof Stoddart, who received grant funding from EPSRC while he carried out his work in the 1990s, made a major advance by threading a molecular ring on a rod-like structure acting as an axle, and moving the ring when heat was applied.

According to EPSRC, this led to further progress through the development of molecular machines such as lifts, muscles and a computer chip.

Prof Philip Nelson, chief executive, EPSRC said: “This is yet another UK science success story. On behalf of EPSRC I would like to congratulate all involved and Sir Fraser Stoddart in particular. He has worked on over 20 EPSRC-funded projects during his career including some international collaborations while based in the US; and his work on nanostructures will have real-world impact.”