Monday, October 5th, The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine
- 2015 Nobel Prize in Medicine shared between three researchers
- Next up: The Nobel Prize in Physics as-it-happened
2.08pm Until tomorrow
If you're just catching up on what has been going on in Stockholm, here's a full round-up, looking at who the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine are this year and why they were selected.
We'll be live blogging the rest of the Nobel announcements in the coming week. Do join us on Tuesday, when we'll be testing our physics knowledge.
12.40pm Interview with Nobel Committee
The Local's Editor Maddy Savage has interviewed Juleen Zierath of the Karolinska Institute's Nobel Committee. There's been a lot of talk about the committees behind the award hoping to increase the number of women laureates, and Youyou Tu is only the 12th female recipient to date.
But Zierath insisted gender was not a deciding factor: “Truly, truly we look at the nominations that come and we look at them for what they have done. What is the discovery? (…) And then what is the benefit for mankind. We can't pay attention to sex or religion or nationality.
Prof #JuleenZierath from #NobelCommittee: Gender “not a factor” in picking #YouYouTu or any other winners #NobelPrize pic.twitter.com/OwrT1f1Jxf
— Maddy Savage (@maddysavage) October 5, 2015
She agreed however that it was good that the committee had selected a positive female role model for women in science, adding: “I just hope she knows now!”
The committee said earlier it had struggled to get hold of Tu. Usually they ring scientists at home or at their offices, but this time it was “very hard” to get her contact information, Zierath told The Local.
She added that the prize winners had all helped create drugs that had saved millions of lives but noted that “down the line we can't predict what will happen,” referring to the fact that some parasites could become resistant to the drugs.
“But in this case remember these drugs have been used for decades now and they have saved millions, really millions literally of lives (…) and that's why these winners have been recognized,” she said.
12.05pm Press conference concludes
The press conference is now over. But keep an eye on this space, we'll be back with more information about the three winners of the 2015 Nobel Prize in Medicine.
And that's a wrap. Journalists are now leaving #Karolinska Institute lecture room. A lucky few will get interviews with #NobelAssembly.
— Maddy Savage (@maddysavage) October 5, 2015
12.00pm More about the winners
This year, the Nobel Prize in Medicine has been awarded to laureates who have developed therapies that have revolutionized the treatment of some of the world's most devastating parasitic diseases, which affect the poorest populations.
William C Campbell, an Irish researcher based at Drew University in the US, and Satoshi Ōmura of Japan discovered a new drug, Avermectin, which has helped to lower the incidence of river blindness and lymphatic filariasis. Youyou Tu from China discovered Artemisinin, a drug which reduced the mortality rates for malaria patients.
“These two discoveries have provided humankind with powerful new means to combat these debilitating diseases that affect hundreds of millions of people annually. The consequences in terms of improved human health and reduced suffering are immeasurable,” says the press release.
11.55am The Nobel Prize laureates
Here's another picture where you can see the three winners a little better.
Photo: Fredrik Sandberg/TT
11.50am Who are the winners?
William C. Campbell and Satoshi Ōmura were awarded the Nobel Prize in Medicine “for their discoveries concerning a novel therapy against infections caused by roundworm parasites”, according to the press release.
The prize is shared with Youyou Tu “for her discoveries concerning a novel therapy against malaria”. According to Professor Urban Lendahl of the Nobel Prize Assembly, they have not been able to get hold of her yet. Madam Tu, if you're reading The Local and are finding out this way: please get in touch.
What is most groundbreaking about #YouYouTu's work is that it targets #Malaria in its early stages, says #Nobel Assembly
— Maddy Savage (@maddysavage) October 5, 2015
11.45am The winners' accomplishments
Four key benefits to mankind made by #NobelPrize winners 2015 pic.twitter.com/9NfvPAwUpr
— Maddy Savage (@maddysavage) October 5, 2015
Professor Urban Lendahl from #NobelAssembly says global impact of winners' work is “immeasurable” #NobelPrize #Medicine
— Maddy Savage (@maddysavage) October 5, 2015
11.40am The Nobel Prize winners presented
Nobel staff are presenting the work of the three 2015 winners, William C. Campbell, Satoshi Ōmura and Youyou Tu, in medicine.
Photo: Maddy Savage/The Local
11.33am And the winner is…
The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2015 has been awarded with one half jointly to William C. Campbell and Satoshi Ōmura for their discoveries concerning a novel therapy against infections caused by roundworm parasites and the other half to Youyou Tu for her discoveries concerning a novel therapy against Malaria.
11.25am Get ready
Just minutes left until the 2015 winner of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine is to be revealed in Stockholm, Sweden.
Here we go! Global journalists now in place for #NobelPrize #Medicine announcement. Lots of US and UK voices today pic.twitter.com/su8Zbh1AHp
— Maddy Savage (@maddysavage) October 5, 2015
11.20am Watch the announcement live
You can watch the live stream from the announcement of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine here. It hasn't started yet, but there's only ten minutes to go.
11.15am Testing, testing, 3-2-1…?
Journalists have been asked to wait outside in the corridor while Nobel Prize staff at Karolinska presumably check that their PowerPoint presentation works.
Journalists have been asked to leave the lecture theatre for 10 minutes while #Nobel staff test their equipment. pic.twitter.com/m4tLcv9kEG
— Maddy Savage (@maddysavage) October 5, 2015
11.12am Last-minute speculation (and preparation)
The Local's Maddy Savage reporting from the Nobel Prize press conference at the Karolinska Institute: “With less than 30 minutes to go until the announcement, many journalists here are busy doing some last minute reading on this year's predicted winners. But their research could well prove futile. The Nobel committees like to keep the world guessing and regularly choose to hand the awards out to unexpected recipients.”
Meanwhile the Literature prize announcement which usually takes place on the Thursday of Nobels week but is not usually revealed until a few days beforehand, has been confirmed for October 8th.
The 2015 #NobelPrize in Literature will be announced on Thursday 8 October: pic.twitter.com/FSdBjjiOvB
— The Nobel Prize (@NobelPrize) October 5, 2015
11.03am International media attention
As I mentioned in the previous post, The Local's Editor Maddy Savage is at the press conference where the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine is set to be announced later.
Here's what she has to say: “There are few big annual events that gather Sweden’s media together like the Nobel announcements. The lecture theatre here at Karolinska Institute is filling up with newspaper and broadcasting journalists from the major national outlets such as Sveriges Radio, SVT and TT. We’ve also spotted international reporters from Germany and Finland.”
The room is filling up ahead of the announcement. Photo: Maddy Savage/The Local
10.50am The Local is reporting live
The Local's Editor Maddy Savage is down at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, where the 2015 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine will be announced later this morning. Follow her on Twitter here.
Beautiful day for #Nobel prize #medicine announcement at #Karolinska institute currently undergoing a big revamp pic.twitter.com/1ft2SexECu
— Maddy Savage (@maddysavage) October 5, 2015
10.47am Who was Alfred Nobel?
If you're sitting there confused about who Nobel is and why he's giving out prizes, it's probably best you read this. In short, Alfred Nobel was a Swedish scholar who invented dynamite in 1866. In his will, he offered his vast fortune to be shared each year with the best thinkers in a range of academic fields.
List of all the 105 Nobel Prizes awarded to 207 Medicine Laureates so far (1901-2014): http://t.co/fupY4t4vi2 #NobelPrize
— The Nobel Prize (@NobelPrize) October 5, 2015
10.40am Killing time
Of course at The Local we would never advocate prank calling innocent scientists, but one Twitter user suggests you could do just that as you kill time waiting for the big announcement at 11.30am in Stockholm.
If you can pull off a good Swedish accent you could have fun prank calling famous scientists about now #NobelPrize
— Dr Darren Saunders (@whereisdaz) October 5, 2015
10.34am Place your bets, folks
It's just around one hour to go before the winner of this year's Medicine Prize is revealed, but Nobel fans have already started speculating about who will take home the 2015 award.
I hope Peter Walter will get the prize this year #NobelPrize
— mohamed adulraheem (@MBistOncos72) October 5, 2015
La butto lì… #NobelPrize per la medicina a Theodore Friedmann and Richard Roblin per la #terapiagenica. #Nobelpredictions
— Daniele Banfi (@danielebanfi83) October 5, 2015
10.25am Fun facts to use at parties
The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine has been awarded 105 times to 207 Nobel laureates between 1901 and 2014. Only 11 women have secured the gong so far.
#NobelFacts The first woman awarded a #NobelPrize in Physiology or Medicine is Gerty Cori in 1947 #NobelPrize pic.twitter.com/FBYnAY7zFD
— The Nobel Prize (@NobelPrize) October 5, 2015
10.04am All eyes on Stockholm
Nobel Prize announcement week is one of the events in Sweden that attracts the most international attention. For more information on who has been tipped to take home the various categories, click here.
10.00am Sweden's Nobel Prize season kicks off
Good morning from Stockholm, where we are starting our live coverage of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, which is being announced today. The event is being live blogged by The Local's Deputy Editor Emma Löfgren, with Editor Maddy Savage reporting from the scene. Follow them on Twitter here and here. You can also follow the @NobelPrize team on Twitter.
Join the excitement in 2 hours when the Medicine Prize is announced live @NobelPrize! Use hashtag #NobelPrize pic.twitter.com/XGkZb3HL7Y
— The Nobel Prize (@NobelPrize) October 5, 2015