As per the committee’s announcement, the Nobel Prize for Medicine and Physiology for 2020 goes to three scientists. They are the ones behind the identification of the Hepatitis C virus. The announcement took place on Monday, October 5. In their official statement to announce the winners, the committee reveals Harvey J. Alter, Charles M. Rice, and Michael Houghton.
The world has to thank them for identifying the novel virus. Before the identification of the Hepatitis C virus, the A and B were already in the picture. However, there was still no explanation regarding Hepatitis cases that were blood-borne. With the identification of the ‘C’ type virus, scientists answer chronic diseases associated with Hepatitis. Plus, this also makes way for better medical facilities and blood tests that will reveal the real cause of the disease. As a result, treatment will become a bit smoother, and millions of patients will survive too.
The Nobel Prize for Medicine 2020 leads to advancement in the field of medicine.
As per rules, Harvey J. Alter, Charles M. Rice, and Michael Houghton will each get an equal share of the prize money for the Nobel Prize for Medicine and Physiology. The prize money is $1 million U.S. or 9 million Kronor. The Nobel Committee is appreciating the work of these scientists and feels that their contribution is massive. It is a decisive contribution to a global health problem. Blood-borne Hepatitis can cause liver cancer and cirrhosis in people too. Therefore, the three Nobel Laureates’ discovery is nothing short of a landmark in progressing against diseases such as Hepatitis.
After the famous discovery, there is now a considerable availability of proper blood tests. As a result, there is a partial decrease in the rate of post-transfusion diseases worldwide. It is a massive positive effect on global health conditions. Identifying the Hepatitis C virus also leads to the development of antiviral vaccines specifically to keep away blood-borne chronic issues.
Nobel Prize for Medicine and Physiology gives the world new hopes.
The discovery by the three great scientists is historical because it gives rise to new hope. Experts now believe that there can be a perfect cure for Hepatitis C, and they will be successful in eradicating it from the world. There is a significant requirement of medical advancement to identify better tests and drugs to treat the disease. They have on the Nobel Prize for Medicine and Physiology, knowing these three great minds will be engaging.
An introduction of the great men and Nobel Laureates
Harvey J. Alter was born in New York in 1935. He went off to get graduation in medicine from the University of Rochester Medical School. Later, he went for a brief training in internal medicine at the University of Seattle Hospitals and the Strong Memorial Hospital. His first proper job was in 1961 when he became a clinical associate under NIH or the National Institute of Health. Soon, he shifted to Georgetown University and spent a few years there before returning to NIH in 1969. Here, he became the senior investigator of Transfusion medicine.
Michael Houghton comes from the United Kingdom, and he received his Ph.D. degree from King’s College London in 1977. He was working in G.D. Searle Company Before shifting to Emeryville, California. Here, he started working in the Chiron Corporation from 1982. Later, in 2010 he went to work under the University of Alberta. Presently, he is one of the most influential people in the Virology Research Team of the same University. Moreover, Houghton is the present Director of the Li Ka Shing Applied Virology Institute.
Charles M. Rice is from Sacramento and was born in 1952. He received his Ph.D. Degree from the University of California in 1981. Later, he started working under the same university as a postdoctoral fellow from 1981 to 1985. Later, he formed his research group under the School of Medicine at Washington University, St. Louis. After establishing the group in 1986, he became a full-time professor in the same place in 1995. Starting from 2001 till now, he is a part of New York’s Rockefeller University. Till 2018, he was leading the Hepatitis C Study Center of the University. He was the Executive and Scientific Director of the department for 18years straight.
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