Immune System Discoveries Earn Nobel in Medicine

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Source: Associated Press

Three scientists whose discoveries on the immune system opened up new avenues for prevention and treatment of infections, cancer and inflammations won the Nobel Prize in medicine on Monday.

American Bruce Beutler and French scientist Jules Hoffmann shared the 10 million-kronor ($1.5 million) award with Canadian-born Ralph Steinman, the Nobel committee at Stockholm Karolinska institute said.

Beutler and Hoffmann were cited "for their discoveries concerning the activation of innate immunity."

Steinman, 70, was honored for "his discovery of the dendritic cell and its role in adaptive immunity."

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2011/10/03/world/AP-Nobel-Medicine.html

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Nobel Prize in medicine shared by three recipients
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"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," the committee said in a written statement. "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."

http://www.cnn.com/2011/10/03/health/nobel-prize/

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1. Posthumous for one recipient

Rockefeller University says today's Nobel medicine prize winner Ralph Steinman died on Sept. 30 - @AP

http://www.montrealgazette.com/technology/Late+Canadian+scientist+Ralph+Steinman+shares+Nobel+prize+medicine/5493302/story.html