S-Oil Science Prodigy and Culture Foundation, a non-profit foundation established by S-Oil, the nation’s third-largest oil refiner, presented professor Kim Vic-narry of the School of Biological Sciences at Seoul National University with the scientist of the year award Wednesday.

The award, established in 2012, is given each year to an exemplary Korea-based researcher in the basic sciences and is designed to help encourage the development of Nobel Prize winners from Korea in the near future.

Professor Kim is an expert in the field of microRNA and won the award for her theoretical work in gene therapy and development of new medicines. She is to receive 50 million won ($44,700) annually for six years, for a total of 300 million won.

She is most noted for her work as a member of the Europe Molecular Biology Organization and won the Korea Best Scientist Award in June of this year.

By Kim Joo-hyun (jhk@heraldcorp.com)