Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine

Posted on October 3, 2011 by Mike

I’m not sure how science-y we are as a group, though I do know FairlingonBlade is a big science nerd :-). But I thought my first post would be about the Nobel Prizes. A couple of very worthy discoveries regarding our immune systems. Beutler and Hoffman won for describing a new receptor (Toll-like receptor 4) involved in innate immunity, one that is important for our bodies’ initial response to gram-negative bacteria like E. coli. Steinman won for identifying a new type of cell (dendritic cells) that turns out to be the hub for inducing adaptive immunity, which is responsible for getting rid of pathogens and vaccination.

Here’s the Nobel Committee’s summary:

This year’s Nobel Laureates have revolutionized our understanding of the immune system by discovering key principles for its activation.

Scientists have long been searching for the gatekeepers of the immune response by which man and other animals defend themselves against attack by bacteria and other microorganisms. Bruce Beutler and Jules Hoffmann discovered receptor proteins that can recognize such microorganisms and activate innate immunity, the first step in the body’s immune response. Ralph Steinman discovered the dendritic cells of the immune system and their unique capacity to activate and regulate adaptive immunity, the later stage of the immune response during which microorganisms are cleared from the body.

The discoveries of the three Nobel Laureates have revealed how the innate and adaptive phases of the immune response are activated and thereby provided novel insights into disease mechanisms. Their work has opened up new avenues for the development of prevention and therapy against infections, cancer, and inflammatory diseases.


2011 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine

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