Chemistry Nobel Dar-win for trio

George Smith, Frances Arnold, Gregory Winter. Pics/AFP

US scientists Frances Arnold and George Smith and British researcher Gregory Winter won the Nobel Chemistry Prize on Wednesday for applying the principles of evolution to develop enzymes used to make everything from biofuels to medicine.

Arnold, just the fifth woman to clinch chemistry's most prestigious honour, won one half of the nine million Swedish kronor (about $1.01 million or 870,000 euros) award, while Smith and Winter shared the other half.

The trio used the same principles of evolution - genetic change and selection - to develop proteins used in a range of fields. "They have applied the principles of Darwin in test tubes. They have used the molecular understanding we have of the evolutionary process and recreated the process in their labs," said the head of the Academy's Nobel Chemistry committee, Claes Gustafsson.

Pharmaceuticals for rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis and inflammatory bowel diseases have resulted from their research, as well as anti-bodies that can neutralise toxins, counteract autoimmune diseases and cure metastatic cancer.

9m
Swedish Kronor the trio has won as the prize

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