Three Doctors Share Nobel

Three foreign scientists visiting the Medical School this week won the Nobel Prize for Medicine yesterday for their work on a group of body chemicals affecting various ailments that range from arthritis to high blood pressure.

Suno Bergstrom, 66, and Bengt I. Samuelsson, 48, both professors of Chemistry at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm shared the award with John R. Vane, 55, a research director of a London science foundation.

Each has, through individual work, contributed to the "ground-breaking discovery that aspirin and similar antiflammatory drugs prevent the body's formation of prostaglandin [chemical, substances similar to hormones], and thus prevent pain," the Nobel committee said.

All three have had an affiliation with the University. Bergstrom received a Harvard honorary degree in 1976, Vane was a visiting professor in medicine about 10 years ago, and Samuelsson did post-doctoral research 20 years ago with E.J. Corey, now Emory Professor of Organic Chemistry.

All three were at Harvard yesterday when the award was announced, participating in scientific symposia celebrating the Med School's 200th anniversary.

The 'scientists sipped champagne and answered reporters' questions at a hastily called press conference at a medical area lecture hall.

"I was absolutely shocked by the news," said Vane, speaking for the group. "We will hold a symposium" on how to use the $157,000 prize, Bergstrom later added.

The three have joined 37 other leading world scientists, selected more than a year-and-a-half ago by a faculty committee, for a series of 10 panels at the Med School on major advances in the biomedical sciences and on the relationship of medicine to society.

"We were looking for people with the most distinguished work in medicine," said Daniel D. Federman, dean for students and alumni in the Med School. "The Nobel Committee and our committee happened to agree," he added.

Harvard professors have won the prestigious annual award for medical discoveries in the past two years. Last year, University Professor David H. Hubel and Torston N. Wiesel, Winthrop Professor of Neurobiology shared the prize with a scientist from the California Institute of Technology.