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 Prize Outreach. 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.

The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2024

Tiny RNAs with profound physiological importance

Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun discovered microRNA, a new class of tiny RNA molecules that play a crucial role in gene regulation. Their groundbreaking discovery in the small worm C. elegans revealed a completely new principle of gene regulation. This turned out to be essential for multicellular organisms, including humans. MicroRNAs are proving to be fundamentally important for how organisms develop and function.

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Illustration

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

Victor Ambros

“for the discovery of microRNA and its role in post-transcriptional gene regulation”

Photo of Victor Ambros

© Nobel Prize Outreach. Photo: Clément Morin

Gary Ruvkun

“for the discovery of microRNA and its role in post-transcriptional gene regulation”

Photo of Gary Ruvkun

© Nobel Prize Outreach. Photo: Clément Morin

Watch the 2024 medicine lectures

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Medicine prize Q&A

Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine: Behind the scenes

Learn more about how the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine is decided and awarded in this interview with medicine prize awarder Juleen Zierath.

Juleen Zierath

Juleen Zierath, professor of physiology

© Nobel Prize Outreach. Photo: Andrew Hart

Who did what?

Questions and answers

What are the Nobel Prize categories?

The Nobel Prize categories are physics, chemistry, physiology or medicine, literature and peace and were laid out in the will of Alfred Nobel. Find out more in the FAQ.

The Nobel Prize medal.

The Nobel Prize medal.

© Nobel Prize Outreach. Photo: Clément Morin.

Nobel Prizes and laureates

The microscope that medicine laureate Ralph Steinman used daily.

© Nobel Media. Photo: Alexander Mahmoud

All Nobel Prizes in Physiology or Medicine

See the full list of medicine prizes and laureates

Articles in medicine

Explore and learn

19 remarkable scientists and their stories

Explore a storytelling experience that celebrates and explores the contributions, careers and lives of 19 women who have been awarded Nobel Prizes for their scientific achievements.
Explore 'Women who changed science'

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.

Tu Youyou

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