Post date: Oct 03, 2011 12:25:33 PM
Three scientists who uncovered key secrets of how the body's immune system works, win the 2011 Nobel prize for medicine or physiology.
STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN (OCTOBER 3, 2011) REUTERS - The 2011 Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine, was awarded on Monday (October 3) to Bruce Beutler and Jules Hoffmann jointly "for their discoveries concerning the activation of innate immunity" and the other half to Ralph Steinman "for his discovery of the dendritic cell and its role in adaptive immunity".
Sweden's Karolinska Institute said in an announcement that the prize went to United States (U.S.) scientist Beutler, Luxembourg-born Hoffmann, based in France, and Canadian-born Steinman, based in the United States.
"The Nobel Assembly at the Karolinska Institute has today decided that the 2011
Nobel prize in physiology or medicine shall be divided with one half jointly to Bruce Beutler and Jules Hoffmann for their discoveries concerning the activation of innate immunity and the other half to Ralph Steinman for his discovery of the dendritic cell and its role in adaptive immunity," Secretary-General to the Nobel Committee Goran Hansson said, reading out the announcement.
The work of the three scientists has been pivotal to the development of improved types of vaccines against infectious diseases and novel approaches to fighting cancer. The research has helped lay the foundations for a new wave of so-called "therapeutic vaccines" that stimulate the immune system to attack tumours.
Better understanding of the complexities of the body's immune system has also provided clues for treating inflammatory diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, where the components of the self-defence system end up attacking the body's own tissues.
Professor of Rheumatology, Lars Klareskog, said the discoveries had led to better vaccines.
"Well, I'm very excited about what these discoveries mean. I think that we will have new and better vaccines against microbes and that is very much needed now with the increased resistance against anti-biotics. We need better vaccines to have the own immune system of ours to defend ourselves better against bacteria and then I expect that there will be some development in the area of attacking cancers from the immune system," he said.
Medicine is traditionally the first of the Nobel prizes awarded each year. Prizes for achievements in science, literature and peace were first awarded in 1901 accordance with the will of dynamite inventor and businessman Alfred Nobel.