2018年8月16-23日，我参加第13届欧洲固氮大会[13^th European Nitrogen Fixation Conference (ENFC)]，会议期间，大会组委会推荐Peter Mergaert为2018年的Adam Kondorosi奖的获得者。

上图：Peter做学术报告

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关于Kondorosi其人：

2018年清明假期，北京天气寒冷，我在家里宅着，查文献时，读到Kondorosi A.的上世纪80年代早期文献，发现好几篇论文都是以他为第一作者，或以Kondorosi E.为第一作者，就进一步查询了这两个人，才发现他们俩是夫妻，一起做了许多共生固氮方面的工作。

其中有一本著名的书，虽说是1998年出版的，但至今仍然是一部很好的全面介绍根瘤菌与豆科植物互作方面的书，其中Kondorosi A.是第二位主编。

The Rhizobiaceae

Molecular Biology of Model Plant-Associated Bacteria

Editors: Spaink, Herman P., Kondorosi, Adam, Hooykaas, Paul (Eds.)

http://www.springer.com/us/book/9780792351801 

Kondorosi A.里程碑的研究是建立了苜蓿中华根瘤菌的遗传操作体系。他在上世纪70年代时，即使用根瘤菌噬菌体开展转染和转导工作。鉴定出了一些不能还原硝酸盐及生物固氮的突变体。他利用体内重组技术，将大片段的固氮基因重组到稳定的可转移的P质粒上，然后在不同物种间转移，因此鉴定出了Klebsiella pneumoniae中的绝大多数固氮基因。

Kondorosi A.还用经典遗传学方法证明Sinorhizobium meliloti中存在着一个环状的染色体。他完成了大片段的DNA在不同根瘤菌之间的转移，指出共生基因可跨越不同的遗传背景而进行转移。他完成了固氮酶基因nifH的测序。发现nod基因受到的正负调控，鉴定出许多结瘤因子(Nod factors)结构。他认识到根瘤菌表面多糖在结瘤中的作用；研究了钙离子流入与结瘤因子刺激的关系。其他于详细的介绍见MPMI论文（Vol. 24, No. 11, 2011, pp. 1272–1275，全文如下）。

然而不幸的是，Kondorosi A.于2011年因病去世，享年65岁。为纪念他的贡献，英国John Innes Centre, UK的的Allan Downie等人发起了“Adam Kondorosi Academia Europaea Awards”奖，以纪念Kondorosi A.，并奖励世界范围内在共生固氮领域做出重要贡献的青年科学家。Allan Downie还专门写了一篇纪念文章，发表在MPMI杂志上（MPMI Vol. 24, No. 11, 2011, pp. 1272–1275. doi:10.1094 /MPMI -06-11-0148.）。全文可以这里下载： A Eulogy to Adam Kondorosi-2011.pdf 。

值此清明时节，我也纪念一下这位共生固氮领域里的杰出科学家！

2018年的Adam Kondorosi Prize奖励提名时间截至于4月30日，有兴趣的可以申请报名。

Adam Kondorosi Prize

Academia Europaea and the European Nitrogen Fixation Conference are proud to announce a call for nominations for the Adam Kondorosi Academia Europaea Prizes in memory of Adam Kondorosi′s many outstanding scientific contributions and lifelong dedication to science.

“The Adam Kondorosi Academia Europaea Prize for Early-Career Investigators” recognizes a young scholar for an outstanding scientific contribution and was presented at the biannual European Nitrogen Fixation Conference, for the first time at the 12th conference in Budapest 2016.

“The Adam Kondorosi Academia Europaea Prize for Advanced Research” recognizes landmark research in symbiosis and related fields that has changed our understanding and made a significant scientific impact. It was presented at the Academia Europaea and the ALLEA (federation of the national academies in 38 European countries) joint conferences for the first time in 2017.

The prizes consist of an Academia Europaea diploma/medal and a donation.

Nominations for “The Adam Kondorosi Academia Europaea Prize for Early-Career Investigators”

Eligibility for the prizes includes current researchers who study plant-microbe symbiosis, nitrogen fixation, and allied fields. Scholars with fewer than 10 years as an independent principal investigator or a PhD obtained within the last 15 years are eligible for the Early-Career Investigator prize. Nominees from the world’s community of scientists and any country can be considered for the prizes.
Any member of the scientific community can make nominations. Nominations should include a brief, maximum 2 page, description of the candidate’s contributions, a CV, and a publication list highlighting major contributions, and should be signed by at least two members of the scientific community.

Submit your nominations until April 30, 2018, as a single PDF to Jens Stougaard, the chairman of the prize committee by e-mailstougaard@mbg.au.dk

 Members of the Prize Committee:

• Jens Stougaard, ENFC president (chairman)

• Eva Kondorosi, ENFC board

• Sharon Long, Stanford University

• Graham O′Hara, Murdoch University

• Klaus Palme, Academia Europaea

• Mart Saarma, Academia Europaea

• Luis M. Rubio, ENFC board

Previous winners of the prize:

2016 Prize for Early-Career Investigators
Prof. Simona Radutiou, Associate Professor, Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University, Denmark

2017 Prize for Advanced Research
Prof. em. Allan Downie, John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Colney, Norwich NR4 7UH, UK

http://enfc2018.org/general-information/adam-kondorosi-prize/ 

值得一提的，Kondorosi A.的夫人Kondorosi Eva，也是著名的共生固氮研究专家。

上图是2017年Kondorosi E.受邀到浙江大学访问时的宣传图片。

http://www.cab.zju.edu.cn/chinese/2017/0615/c11149a535815/page.htm