Dr A.H. Heineken Prize

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The Dr. A.H. Heineken Prizes, named in honor of Alfred Heineken Fondsen, former Chairman of Heineken Holdings, are a series of awards bestowed by the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW). Awards include the Heineken Prizes for biochemistry and biophysics, medicine, environmental sciences, history, cognitive science, and art. The scientific awards consist of a trophy and 150,000 USD; art awards include only 50,000 EUR.

Dr. Alfred Heineken founded the biennial Heineken Prizes in the sixties. They consist of five science prizes of $ 150.000 each: the Dr. A.H. Heineken Prize for History, Medicine, Environmental Sciences and (since 2006) Cognitive Science and the Dr. H.P. Heineken Prize for Biochemistry and Biophysics. The Dr. A.H. Heineken Prize for Art (€ 50.000) has been awarded to a Dutch artist since 1988. The Prizes have been named after Dr. Alfred H. Heineken, the former chairman of Heineken and his father Dr. Henry P. Heineken (a doctor in biochemistry).

The selection system of the Heineken Prizes can be compared to that of the Nobel Prizes. Scientists from all over the world are invited to nominate fellow scientists for the Heineken Prizes. Independent committees consisting of eminent scientists and chaired by a member of the board of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW) select the winners. An independent jury of art historians acting in their personal capacity, chooses the winners of the Dr. A.H. Heineken Prize for Art.

The Heineken Prizes are awarded in a Special Session of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (founded in 1808), which takes place every even year at the Beurs van Berlage in Amsterdam. In 2002, 2004 and 2006 the Prizes were presented by HRH the Prince of Orange.

The prizes are sponsored by the Alfred Heineken Fondsen Foundation and the Dr. H.P. Heineken Foundation. The foundations are chaired by Mrs. Charlene L. de Carvalho-Heineken, daughter of the late Dr. A.H. Heineken.

The Heineken Prizes for Art and Sciences are now amongst the most prestigious international awards in the world. The following eight winners of the Heineken Prizes for Medicine and Biochemistry and Biophysics have since won Nobel Prizes:

Christian de Duve Dr. H.P. Heineken Prize for Biochemistry and Biophysics 1973 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 1974

Aaron Klug Dr. H.P. Heineken Prize for Biochemistry and Biophysics 1973 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 1974

Thomas Cech Dr. H.P. Heineken Prize for Biochemistry and Biophysics 1988 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 1989

Paul C. Lauterbur Dr. A.H.Heineken Prize for Medicine in 1989 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2003

Paul Nurse Dr. H.P. Heineken Prize for Biochemistry and Biophysics 1996 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2001

Barry J. Marshall Dr. A.H.Heineken Prize for Medicine in 1998 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2005

Eric R. Kandel Dr. A.H.Heineken Prize for Medicine in 2000 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2000

Andrew Z. Fire Dr. H.P. Heineken Prize for Biochemistry and Biophysics 2004 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2006

[edit] External links

• The Heineken Prizes, KNAW