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Millennium Technology Prize Laureates Announced
Biotech and IT innovations compete for the world's largest technology prize

The finalists for the 2008 Millennium Technology Prize have been announced by the Millennium Prize Foundation. Those competing for the prize are:

Professor Sir Alec Jeffreys
Professor, Department of Genetics, University of Leicester, UK

For his invention of DNA fingerprinting used in identification of criminal suspects and in paternity and immigration disputes. No other development in modern genetics has had such a profound impact worldwide on the lives of many millions of people.

Professor Robert Langer
Institute Professor, MIT, Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology, USA

For his inventions and development of innovative biomaterials for controlled drug release and tissue regeneration that have saved and improved the lives of millions of people.

Dr. Andrew J. Viterbi
President, Viterbi Group LLC, Professor Emeritus, University of Southern California, USA

For the invention of the Viterbi algorithm, the key building element in modern wireless and digital communications systems, touching lives of people everywhere.

Professor Emmanuel Desurvire
Director, Physics Research Group, Thales Corporate Research & Technology, France

Dr. Randy Giles
Director, Optical Networks, Bell Laboratories, Alcatel-Lucent, New Jersey, USA

Professor David N. Payne
Director, Optoelectronics Research Centre, University of Southampton, UK

For their outstanding contributions to telecommunications through the invention of the erbium-doped fibre amplifier (EDFA) which made possible the global high-capacity optical fibre network, serving as a backbone of the global information superhighway.

The winner will be announced at a ceremony in Finland on 11 June 2008.