Sancar is credited with mapping nucleotide excision repair, a "mechanism that cells use to repair UV damage to DNA," according to the committee.

"People born with defects in this repair system will develop skin cancer if they are exposed to sunlight. The cell also utilises nucleotide excision repair to correct defects caused by mutagenic substances, among other things."

Sancar currently serves as the Sarah Graham Kenan Professor of Biochemistry and Biophysics at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine. He received his medical degree from Istanbul University, where he graduated first in his class of 625 back in 1969. His received his doctorate is from University of Texas and was presented with the Distinguished Alumni Award from the institution in 2009.