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INTERVIEW
3. I listened to one of your interviews about the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medi- v
KÜLTÜR & KÜLTÜR2000
cine this year. You said that you were absolutely astonished by this news and it was a
big surprise for you. Have you ever thought that you could be awarded the Nobel Prize in
Medicine, especially about Hepatitis C?

Not really. Nobel prize for me, are you kidding? I think in my case the prize is recognition
for the amazing efforts of many who contributed to this success story. I’m actually humbled
and embarrassed by being singled out but glad that the field and its success and impact
are being highlighted by this prize. Certainly Harvey Alter and Michael Houghton and their
colleagues deserve huge credit for recognizing the lingering problem, characterizing the
NANBH agent and ultimately the discovery and cloning (of most!) of the responsible virus.
This broke open the field in so many ways, including the efforts by us and others to under-
stand more about the virus and to identify its possible vulnerabilities.

44 • İNOVASYON KÜLTÜRÜ / ARALIK 2020 COLLEGE