The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine

Randy Schekman bought his first microscope at the age of 12. In 2013, he became a Medicine Laureate.

© Nobel Media. Photo: Alexander Mahmoud

About the prize

“The said interest shall be divided into five equal parts, which shall be apportioned as follows: /- - -/ one part to the person who shall have made the most important discovery within the domain of physiology or medicine ...” (Excerpt from the will of Alfred Nobel)

Alfred Nobel had an active interest in medical research. Through Karolinska Institutet, he came into contact with Swedish physiologist Jöns Johansson around 1890. Johansson worked in Nobel’s laboratory in Sevran, France during a brief period the same year. Physiology or medicine was the third prize area Nobel mentioned in his will.

The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine is awarded by the Nobel Assembly at Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.

See all medicine laureates or learn more about the nomination process.

Explore prizes and laureates

The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2019

Sensing oxygen levels

This year’s Nobel Laureates revealed the mechanism for one of life’s most essential adaptive processes. They established the basis for our understanding of how oxygen levels affect cellular metabolism and physiological function. Their discoveries have also paved the way for promising new strategies to fight anemia, cancer and many other diseases.

Read the press release

Scientific background: How cells sense and adapt to oxygen availability

The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2019

© The Nobel Committee for Physiology or Medicine. Ill. Mattias Karlén

Did you know?

Q&A about the nomination process

What do you look for in a laureate?

Ever wondered how the Nobel Prizes are decided? The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine has been awarded by the Nobel Assembly at Karolinska Institutet since 1901. Get an inside look from professor Juleen Zierath, one of the 50 assembly members.

Stay tuned during 7-14 October to discover who will receive this year’s prizes.

WOMEN WHO CHANGED SCIENCE

Explore a new storytelling experience that celebrates and explores the contributions, careers and lives of the 19 women who have been awarded Nobel Prizes for their scientific achievements.
Quiz view hero image2

Articles in Medicine

Connect with us

Facebook Facebook Icon Like The Nobel Prize on Facebook 4,325,000+ likes Twitter Twitter Icon Follow The Nobel Prize on Twitter 550,000+ followers Instagram Instagram Icon Follow The Nobel Prize on Instagram 280,000+ followers YouTube Youtube Icon Follow The Nobel Prize on Youtube 138,000+ subscribers

Learn about your brain’s place for maps

How do we know where we are? How can we find the way from one place to another? Thanks to the discovery of the brain's “inner GPS” we now have a better understanding for how we manage to orient ourselves in space.

May-Britt Moser in the laboratory

Laureate May-Britt Moser in the laboratory

Photo: Geir Mo

Find out how a cool insight led to a life-saving discovery

Tu Youyou scoured ancient literature on herbal medicine in her quest to develop novel malaria therapies. A key insight into how to preserve the active ingredient during processing led to the discovery of artemisinin, which has saved many lives.

Youyou Tu

Tu Youyou, Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2015

© Nobel Media. Photo: Alexander Mahmoud

Pinpointed the genes that enable cellular recycling

Follow how the discoveries Yoshinori Ohsumi made in baker's yeast led to a new understanding of how our own cells recycle their contents. Autophagy, or ‘self-eating’ refers to the way our cells can degrade and then re-use their own contents.

Dragon ohsumi

Illustration depicting autophagy

Image: The Nobel Assembly at Karolinska Institutet

Sign up to our newsletter

Join thousands of global subscribers enjoying the free monthly Nobel Prize highlights, trivia and up-to-date information.