The third person from the North West to receive a Nobel Laureate - Professor William C. Campbell whose research has saved tens of millions of lives - was yesterday awarded an honorary doctorate at Magee in Derry.
The Ramelton-born biologist and parasitologist, was conferred with the degree of Doctor of Science conferred at a ceremony at the campus yesterday afternoon. After the lecture, he delivered a lecture entitled: A Life in Science with one foot in the Arts.
Born in Ramelton, Co. Donegal in 1930 and now based in America, Professor Campbell won the Nobel Prize for Medicine in 2015 for discovering a drug that fights river blindness by roundworm parasites.
Professor Campbell told the Derry News that the honorary doctorate from Ulster University 'meant a great deal to him'.
"One never expects this type of tribute," he said. "It is wonderful to be honored liked this by my home university. I still have a great sense of my origins, this place is such a part of my identity, and it was so nice to be welcomed back so warmly. I'm very proud to be from the city.
"It is very inspiring to have been part of a great team of scientists who work is recognised as so meaningful."
Professor Campbell said that he would thoroughly recommend a career in science to any young person in education today.
"The opportunities are endless," he said. "But I would caution them - don't forget abut other aspects of life. Don't become too buried in your work - live a life with some roundness.
"As regards the current areas we should be looking at in science, there is still much to do to prevent and control preventable diseases - and we should be addressing this. But we need to be tackling these not just from a scientific perspective, we also need to tackle preventable problems on different levels, political and environmental - particularly issues such as climate change."
The drug which Professor Campbell developed, Avermectin, has radically lowered the incidence of river blindness and lymphatic filariasis. It has also shown effectiveness against a growing range of other parasitic diseases.
In 1987, Professor Campbell led the decision by Merck to distribute the drug for free; which has potentially saved tens of millions of lives in Africa.
More than 25 million people are treated every year to prevent new cases of river blindness.
Outside of science, the Donegal man is a published poet. "Finding the time can sometimes be difficult - but if something is calling to be done, and it is calling to you, you will find a way of doing it," he said. "Poetry is a muse in my life. There is always time to paint a poem or write a poem - though perhaps not all the poems you would like. In saying that, scientists should always make time for things other than science. "
Professor Campbell, who will be in the country for a few "busy" days, said the North West was "very beautiful" and the rain was "very homely".
"I think Derry is so beautiful - particularly when it's raining. I love what I see here now."
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