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Ardem Patapoutian: I am very proud of my Armenian origin

Ardem Patapoutian: I am very proud of my Armenian origin

June 14 was special at Yerevan State Medical University after Mkhitar Heratsi․ The honorary guest of the 100-year-old forge of future doctors was Ardem Patapoutian, the first Nobel Prize winner of Armenian origin, the prominent Armenian-American scientist, the molecular biologist-neurobiologist, the professor at the Doris Center for Neurology at the Scripps Research Institute in California, and a researcher at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. 

As a “COBRAIN” partner, the famous scientist visited the Scientific-Educational Center for Basic Brain Research, where he planted the seed of a Arabidopsis thaliana․ It was as a result of research into this plant that the neurobiologist learned the molecular basis of the sense of touch. 

At the end of the tour in the center, Ardem Patapoutian officially joined the members of the Advisory Board of the “COBRAIN” center. 

“It is a great honor to host our compatriot, who is a world-famous scientist, at our university again. Today Ardem Patapoutian was awarded the title of YSMU Honorary Doctor. He is the 9th Nobel Prize winner, who is hosted at the medical university,” Rector Armen Muradyan emphasized. 

After the visit to the “COBRAIN” center, Ardem Patapoutian gave a public lecture on “HOW DO YOU FEEL? THE MOLECULES THAT SENSE TOUCH” in YSMU conference hall. 

He shared with the audience how he found out about the Nobel Prize. “When they decided to call the awardees, California time is 2 a.m. They tried to call me, but they couldn’t, because my phone was on “Do not disturb”, and they left a few messages and then, I guess, they started googling Patapoutian, California, and they found a number in North Hollywood. They called, and that was my 94-year-old father’s number. One of the Committee members said that my dad was very upset, but then he understood what was going on, and he finally called me and told me that I should pay attention to the voice messages on my phone”, Ardem Patapoutian told with a smile. 

Part of this story, according to the neuroscientist, is not about him and his colleagues, but the fact that he is of Armenian origin. “I am very proud of this. And I hope this would be an example to all the young scientists here that really anything is possible, because if it could happen to me, it could happen to you”, Ardem Patapoutian concluded.