European Inventor prize awarded to KTH professor

Pål Nyrén, Professor of Biochemistry at KTH Royal Institute of Technology, was named one of the European Patent Office’s Inventors of the Year yesterday for his development of the DNA pyrosequencing technique.

Presenting the award at a ceremony in the Netherlands, EPO President Benoît Battistelli said: “Pål Nyréns work has taken DNA analysis possibilities to new levels and opened perspectives we hardly imagined before, in research, medicine and forensics.”

Pyrosequencing is a simpler and faster technique for DNA analysis that radically cut costs and placed within reach the dream of personalised medical treatment for serious illnesses. The technique identifies the analyzed DNA strand by inducing light-producing reactions, which in turn are picked up by sensitive cameras. The result is a simpler and faster analysis process – that costs a fraction of what it did barely a decade ago.

Nyrén, who won the prestigious innovation award in the “Small to Medium Enterprise” category, said that it was "a real surprise to be nominated", and added that he was "even more surprised" to win the award.

“It feels great to have developed something that is really useful. That helps people in concrete terms, but that also helps others to get ahead in their research,” Nyrén said.

Pyrosequencing has become the world’s most-used method in genetic engineering, and has revolutionised the conditions for DNA analysis, resulting in greater opportunities for individualised treatment of such diseases as cancer. It enables a cell's entire DNA to be mapped in only two months – instead of the thirteen years previously required, with substantial cost savings. 

Nyrén was one of five winners of the 2013 European Inventor Award, from a group of 15 total nominees from 11 countries. The winners were announced in the presence of Princess Beatrix of the Netherlands and 500 invited guests from all over the world, including scientists, intellectual property experts, business leaders and political representatives.

This year’s winners included Ajay V. Bhatt (for inventing the USB interface that is now standard for connecting computer equipment) and Martin Schadt (for inventing the LCD screen).

Since the European Inventor Award’s inception, four Swedes have nominated, including Per-Ingvar Brånemark, who in 2011 took the victory in the category "Lifetime Achievement” for his pioneering work with dental implants.

For more information, please contact Pål Nyrén at 08 - 55 37 83 92 or nyren@kth.se.

Peter Larsson