( L - R ) Cooper, Scott-Mottley

Nobel prize nominated Jamaican scientist Professor Bertram Fraser-Reid will be the recipient of the Gold Musgrave Medal at the Institute of Jamaica's (IOJ) annual Musgrave awards next week.

Professor Fraser-Reid, who is a renowned chemist, is best known for his research on sugar which has led to several groundbreaking discoveries and has contributed profoundly to the the search for cures for immune deficiency diseases such as AIDS.

He is also the first scientist to have synthesised the suspected toxin that causes cerebral malaria. His research has also presente to the manufacturing of plastic and pharmaceutical products.

Professor Fraser-Reid is currently president of Natural Products and Glycotechnology Research Institute, Inc. - a non-profit organisation on the campus of the North Carolina State University.

The IOJ will also hand out four silver and two bronze medals.

Silver awardees

The 2007 silver awardees are Michael Anthony Lord, for his work in architecture and theatre art; Michael 'Ibo' Cooper, for his work in music and arts management; Phillip Supersad, for his work in art ceramic; and Donna Scott-Mottley, for contribution to the development of culture, through the use of her legal skills.

Bronze awards will be presented to Winston 'Sparrow' Martin and George Huggins for their work in the development and culture of youth and music respectively.

One youth Musgrave medal will also be awarded. The recipient will be 23-year-old pilot, Captain Barrington Irving Jr., who recently made history as the youngest and first black pilot to fly solo around the world.

The Musgrave Medals are handed out yearly to Jamaicans who have excelled in the areas of science, the arts and culture.