This morning (10/3/2016), I found a news article about Nobel prize in Physiology or Medicine for this year (2016).
Link to the MSN article.
http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/japans-ohsumi-wins-nobel-for-studies-of-cell-self-eating/ar-BBwVBZj?li=BBnbcA1
Here is another link to CNN.
http://www.cnn.com/2016/10/03/health/nobel-prize-2016-physiology-medicine-yoshinori-ohsumi/
The prize went to. Dr. Yoshinori Ohsumi. His research was involved in autophagy, a process of recycling cellular components. Thanks to the autophagy mechanism, we can survive up to a month just by water. Research on the process has been getting popular in cancer research meeting, as well as neurodegenerative disease research field.
In short, autophagy is a basic mechanism encompassing many biological processes. But the involvements in diseases came to research focus in broader fields relatively recently.
Dr. Ohsumi made a series of discoveries on autophagy using yeast model system. I also used to use yeast model system. In my student days I saw his (or his lab's) presentations in yeast meetings. Too bad I didn't really "get it". I didn't think autophagy was sexy or exciting. I guess I was wrong about the potential (saying without a sense of guilt, though).
As a part of small games I play to entertain myself, I was predicting that this year's Prize would go to Immunology, possibly researchers involved in PD1 and/or immunotherapy. I was wrong about that, too (also saying without a sense of guilt).
Come to think of it, this is 3 years in a raw when a Japanese researcher wins the Nobel Prize. That is great achievement.
To win Nobel prize, you have to do discovery- or pioneer-type work, and also have to keep leading the research field for a while (usually 20+ years). Whether the research would have broader impact or not is beyond your control. But if it has, after winning some other international awards, you may (have a chance to) win the prize.
You need good work plus staying power. It certainly is not easy.
Congratulations, Dr. Ohsumi.
Link to the MSN article.
http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/japans-ohsumi-wins-nobel-for-studies-of-cell-self-eating/ar-BBwVBZj?li=BBnbcA1
Here is another link to CNN.
http://www.cnn.com/2016/10/03/health/nobel-prize-2016-physiology-medicine-yoshinori-ohsumi/
The prize went to. Dr. Yoshinori Ohsumi. His research was involved in autophagy, a process of recycling cellular components. Thanks to the autophagy mechanism, we can survive up to a month just by water. Research on the process has been getting popular in cancer research meeting, as well as neurodegenerative disease research field.
In short, autophagy is a basic mechanism encompassing many biological processes. But the involvements in diseases came to research focus in broader fields relatively recently.
Dr. Ohsumi made a series of discoveries on autophagy using yeast model system. I also used to use yeast model system. In my student days I saw his (or his lab's) presentations in yeast meetings. Too bad I didn't really "get it". I didn't think autophagy was sexy or exciting. I guess I was wrong about the potential (saying without a sense of guilt, though).
As a part of small games I play to entertain myself, I was predicting that this year's Prize would go to Immunology, possibly researchers involved in PD1 and/or immunotherapy. I was wrong about that, too (also saying without a sense of guilt).
Come to think of it, this is 3 years in a raw when a Japanese researcher wins the Nobel Prize. That is great achievement.
To win Nobel prize, you have to do discovery- or pioneer-type work, and also have to keep leading the research field for a while (usually 20+ years). Whether the research would have broader impact or not is beyond your control. But if it has, after winning some other international awards, you may (have a chance to) win the prize.
You need good work plus staying power. It certainly is not easy.
Congratulations, Dr. Ohsumi.
