Purdue News
Purdue News
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April 16, 2004 Biological sciences professor wins Purdue's McCoy AwardWEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – A Purdue professor of biological sciences was named the winner of university's Herbert Newby McCoy Award for his work in the sciences. Stanton Gelvin was recognized on April 4 during the university's Honors Convocation for his achievements in the field of DNA transfer from the soil bacterium Agrobacterium tumefaciens to plant genomes. The McCoy Award was established in 1964 through a bequest from Ethel Terry McCoy in memory of her husband, who was a School of Science alumnus. The award is presented annually to the student or faculty member in the university's science departments who make the greatest contribution of the year to science. Gelvin's nominators wrote in part: "This is the best documented case of horizontal DNA transfer, a process with major evolutionary implications. … Dr. Gelvin has played a major role in developing the Agrobacterium system." This includes three main areas – the bacterium's processes, the expression of its transferred genes and the part the host plant plays in the transformation. In each area, Gelvin has received grants and has sought and/or received patents. In the third area, "his lab is the only one in the world currently doing this research, and his results have recently led to the filing of two more patents for novel technologies to improve the genetic engineering of recalcitrant crop species," according to the award nomination. As part of receiving the McCoy Award, Gelvin next fall will make an address as part of the annual McCoy Distinguished Lectures. Along with the McCoy Award certificate, Gelvin took home a cash prize of $4,000 and a contribution of $7,000 to support his research. Source: Stanton Gelvin, (765) 494-4939 Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu
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