Nobel Laureate Speaks at RNA Meeting

Nearly 200 scientists who specialize in RNA research are getting a treat this afternoon - a keynote presentation from the woman who just won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for her work in this discipline.

Dr. Ada Yonath, from Israels' Weizmann Institute of Science, has been described as the trailblazer in mapping the structure of a ribosome. Knowing how this structure works is an important stepping stone in understanding life and fighting disease, according to the Nobel prize committee.

The afternoon speech is just one of many activities of the RNA Society's Symposium, held every two years. This symposium regularly attracts international guests and is the longest-running organized by a regional group.

DNA's code for life is translated onto one type of RNA. The ribosome is where several types of RNA go to assemble proteins used by the body.