This Monday, Mary E. Brunkow, Fred Ramsdell, and Shimon Sakaguchi were jointly honored with the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. Their groundbreaking work centered on understanding peripheral immune tolerance, a crucial aspect of how our bodies recognize and coexist with their own cells while fighting off invaders.
Looking Back: Who Received the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2024?
Last year, Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun were celebrated for their discovery of microRNA. These minuscule RNA molecules play a vital role in dictating how organisms grow and function, shedding light on why things sometimes go awry in biological systems.
When Are the Remaining Nobel Prizes Announced?
The prize in physiology or medicine marks the first of six Nobel Prizes presented annually. Each award spotlights extraordinary contributions by individuals or organizations in their respective fields.
-
The Nobel Prize in Physics will be unveiled on Tuesday by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences in Stockholm. The previous year saw John J. Hopfield and Geoffrey E. Hinton share this esteemed award. Their research revolutionized how computers learn, mimicking the human brain’s processes, and laid foundational groundwork for advancements in artificial intelligence.
-
The Nobel Prize in Chemistry is scheduled for Wednesday, also presented by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences in Stockholm. In the last cycle, Demis Hassabis, John Jumper, and David Baker were recognized for demonstrating artificial intelligence’s immense potential. Their work enables predicting protein shapes and even inventing entirely new ones, a significant leap for science and technology.
-
On Thursday, the Swedish Academy in Stockholm will announce the recipient of the Nobel Prize in Literature. Last year, Han Kang, celebrated for her novel “The Vegetarian,” made history as the first South Korean author to receive this prestigious literary honor.
-
The Nobel Peace Prize will be revealed on Friday by the Norwegian Nobel Institute in Oslo. In the previous year, the Japanese organization Nihon Hidankyo, a powerful grass-roots movement of atomic bomb survivors, was awarded for its unwavering dedication to achieving a world free of nuclear weapons.
-
The following Monday, the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences will be awarded by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences in Stockholm. Last year’s honorees, Daron Acemoglu, Simon Johnson, and James Robinson, were celebrated for their insightful research into how institutional structures influence the prosperity and wealth of nations, and the historical origins of these structures.
You can catch all the Nobel Prize announcements streamed live by the Nobel Prize organization.