(Press release EASAC) Most new human pathogens reported in the past 25 years, such as influenza and SARS, have zoonotic origins. The risk of zoonotic infection, that is any infection transmissible between vertebrate animals and humans, is predicted to continue to increase.
The Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences has awarded this year's Heineken Prizes to five internationally renowned scientists and one highly talented Dutch visual artist.
The 2008 Dr A.H. Heineken Prize for Art (EUR 50,000) has been awarded to visual artist Barbara Visser for 'her photographic and video work, notable for its wide-ranging form and content and consistently distinct signature'.
The KNAW has selected four new Academy Professors this year. They are Professor H.R. (Harry) Büller, Professor Ben Feringa, Professor Frank Grosveld and Professor Pierre de Wit.
From 1 April 2008, Erik-Jan Zürcher (54) will be the new director of the International Institute for Social History (IISG) in Amsterdam. Zürcher will continue to be affiliated to Leiden University as professor of Turkish languages and culture for one day a week.
