Renowned U geneticist Mario Capecchi is back in Utah after recently returning from award ceremonies in Italy and Israel.
He went to Trento, Italy, last month to receive an $81,000 cash prize for the Pezcoller-AACR Award.
Capecchi, co-chair of the department of human genetics at the U, has received numerous awards for his gene-targeting research in mice.
As a young child during World War II, Capecchi wandered through Trento, homeless while his mother was in a concentration camp.
A local newspaper, announcing the Pezcoller Award recipients, featured a picture of the house he had lived in as a toddler.
Someone recognized the photograph and gave Capecchi and his wife the address.
The house had been torn down and rebuilt in the same style. The owner was the daughter of the woman who had rented it to his mother.
She showed the couple a pile of books and papers saved from the original house, including a large stack of poetry Capecchi’s mother had written 60 years ago.
Capecchi was amused at how similar the mountain surroundings were to his current home in the Wasatch Mountains.
“I think it’s always interesting to see where your roots are,” he said.
From Trento, he flew to Israel to accept the country’s most prestigious award, the Wolfe Prize in Medicine, from Israeli President Moshe Katsav.
The Wolfe Prize also carried a $100,000 award for him and his two co-recipients.
Because of safety issues, Capecchi and his wife were assigned special drivers and escorts.
“I felt safe, but there are lots of places people don’t go to anymore, like markets. Tourism is extremely low and scientists don’t visit there much…they’re fearful.”
The awards were presented by President Katsav and the 120-member Knesset, which is the Israeli legislative body.
Capecchi said he was very impressed with the murals, tapestry and stained glass by Marc Chagall in the chamber.
During his stay, he gave lectures at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem as well as two other universities.
Despite heavy security, the couple was able to do some sightseeing.
“It’s a very interesting and beautiful country…the people were very hospitable,” he said.