DNA pioneer honoured

Sir Alec Jeffreys, DNA genetic fingerprinting pioneer, is to be given an international accolade.

Professor Jeffreys, who is the Royal Society Wolfson professor in the department of genetics at Leicester University, will be awarded the Louis-Jeantet Prize for medicine at a ceremony in Geneva in April. He will receive a personal award of e75,000 (£51,700) plus funding to carry out new research projects.

This is the 20th anniversary of his revolutionary discovery.