Singapore, Aug 23, 2010: Agilent Technologies has announced Dr Martin Karplus, professor emeritus, Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University; and Laboratoire de Chimie Biophysique, ISIS, Université Louis Pasteur, as the winner of the 2010 Russell Varian Prize.

The prize is awarded to a researcher based on a single innovative contribution that has proven to have a significant impact on state-of-the-art nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) technology. Prof Karplus was awarded the 2010 prize for his paper, “Contact Electron-Spin Coupling of Nuclear Magnetic Moments”, J. Chem. Phys. 30, 11-15 (1959).

“I am honored to receive the Russell Varian Prize this year particularly because, unlike previous recipients, I am not an NMR spectroscopist,” said Prof Karplus. “My theoretical work has benefited greatly from NMR, as have my collaborations with experimentalists in the field.”

Dr Karplus’ ground-breaking work, which was done in the late 1950s and early 1960s, set the stage for a generation of researchers, to take his theoretical idea and refine it to the point that it is now considered one of the most valuable measurements available for determining chemical structure directly from NMR spectra. The calculations are eponymously called the ‘Karplus equations’. Many applications have been developed over the years covering all areas of NMR. The applications are used routinely by pharmaceutical research as well as national laboratories studying biological phenomena.

“We are honored to recognize Professor Karplus for his significant scientific contributions to the field of NMR,” said Dr Regina Schuck, general manager of Agilent’s Research Products Division. “The Russell Varian Prize has a long tradition of recognizing the best innovators and researchers in NMR. Now a part of Agilent Technologies, we look forward to continuing the tradition of working with and recognizing the top researchers around the world.”

The Russell Varian prize honors the memory of the pioneer behind the first commercial Nuclear Magnetic Resonance spectrometers and co-founder of Varian Associates. The award was presented at the International Conference on Magnetic Resonance in Biological Systems (ICMRBS).