Canadian-born scientist wins posthumous Nobel prize for medicine
Posted October 3, 2011 6:44 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
A Canadian-born scientist has won the 2011 Nobel Prize for medicine just days after his death.
Ralph Steinman, 68, shared the prize with two colleagues for their research on the immune system. Steinman died of pancreatic cancer on Friday.
The Nobel committee noted the discoveries opened up new avenues for prevention and treatment of infections, cancer and inflammations.
American Bruce Beutler and Luxembourg-born scientist Jules Hoffmann were honoured by the Nobel committee “for their discoveries concerning the activation of innate immunity.”
Montreal-born Steinman was honoured for “his discovery of the dendritic cell and its role in adaptive immunity.”
Nobel prizes in chemistry, physics, literature, peace and economics, will be announced in the coming days.
Steinman, Beutler, and Hoffman split the $1.5 million prize.
While Nobel statutes don’t normally allow for posthumous awards, the committee said Monday that Steinman’s award will stand.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper said in a statement that the prize was “a fitting, final tribute to his
life’s work.”
With files from The Associated Press and The Canadian Press
