Professor Ada Yonath, laureate of the 2009 Nobel Prize in Chemistry and the Israel Prize, YSMU Honorary Doctor and an international model of scientific courage and perseverance, passed away on August 31, 2026. She was 87.
Yonath, of the Weizmann Institute of Science’s Chemical and Structural Biology Department, pioneered the study of ribosome structure using crystallography and was awarded the Nobel Prize for her research in this field. Her decades-long scientific journey began with basic research aimed at deciphering the workings of one of nature’s most complex biological machines. Her research later led to an understanding of how certain antibiotics work, helping pave the way for the development of more advanced antibiotics and the fight against antibiotic-resistant bacteria – one of the most pressing medical challenges of the 21st century.
On April 12-15, 2016, within the framework of the scientific event “Nobel Days in Yerevan” held in Armenia at the initiative of Yerevan State Medical University after Mkhitar Heratsi, Ada Yonath shared her rich experience and knowledge among five Nobel laureates.
This important event, as well as the visit of the famous scientist to YSMU will remain in the important pages of the annals of the Medical University.
