Thus far, much of the molecular diagnostics field has concentrated on infectious diseases, detecting HIV, hepatitis C and sexually transmitted diseases like chlamydia.

FORBES: Magazine Article

And Kim may be ideally suited for the job because of his wide knowledge of molecular biology, a field being transformed by new understanding of the chemical basis of life.

FORBES: Peter Kim To Head Merck's Labs

As for the liquid lens, Nippon Electric Glass' version uses low-power electric field to control its liquid crystal molecular orientation, thus changing the focal point.

ENGADGET: Nippon Electric Glass demos liquid crystal lens and 'invisible glass' at CEATEC (video)

The prize rewards the efforts of an individual, an institution, a non-governmental organisation or another entity which, through research and development, has made an outstanding contribution to the field of microbiology (including immunology, molecular biology, genetics, etc.) and its applications.

UNESCO: Apply for UNESCO Prizes

Several companies are already seeking to take advantage of the new field, called synthetic biology, which combines chemistry, computer science, molecular biology, genetics and cell biology to breed industrial life forms that can secrete fuels, vaccines or other commercial products.

WSJ: Scientists Create First Synthetic Cell