Science can save the world, declared the winner of the 2009 RDS/ Irish TimesBoyle Medal for scientific excellence. It is also a lot of fun.
Prof Luke O'Neill, professor of biochemistry at Trinity College Dublin was speaking tonight at an awards ceremony at the RDS in Ballsbridge.
He was conferred with the Medal and then delivered the Boyle Laureate lecture, a talk with the engaging title: "From Passion to Practical Benefits: Why It's Great Being a Scientist".
A very large audience gathered at the RDS Concert Hall to hear his talk in which he frequently referred to his own research into diseases such as arthritis and other autoimmune diseases.
Yet the science content was decidedly accessible give his skills as a public speaker. He likened his step-wise research discoveries about the inflammation that arises in autoimmune diseases to a game of dominos.
"There is a puzzle here that ends up with arthritis. Can we fill in the dominos of how you get there. We filled in the dominos."
Science was a great thing to study as it provided the "thrill of discovery" but also often delivered something of value to the general public. "This can actually give rise to practical benefits. Science really can save the world," he said.