Nobel Laureates and the American Cancer Society

Discovered the molecular “switch” that controls how cells respond to changing oxygen levels. Oxygen sensing is key to many diseases – for example, cancer cells hijack the oxygen process to increase their metabolism and fuel their growth. This discovery has had a significant impact on understanding cancer and has helped establish new treatment strategies. This prize was awarded jointly to William G. Kaelin, Jr., MD, Sir Peter J. Ratcliffe, MD, and Gregg L. Semenza, MD, PhD. 

Discovered the molecular “switch” that controls how cells respond to changing oxygen levels. Oxygen sensing is key to many diseases – for example, cancer cells hijack the oxygen process to increase their metabolism and fuel their growth. This discovery has had a significant impact on understanding cancer and has helped establish new treatment strategies. This prize was awarded jointly to William G. Kaelin, Jr., MD, Sir Peter J. Ratcliffe, MD, and Gregg L. Semenza, MD, PhD. 

Defined the control of the movement of membranes in cells, which contributes greatly to the understanding of cell functioning in numerous diseases, including cancer. These internal cell membranes are key to the function of cells and the ability of cells to move, both of which are hallmarks of cancer cells.

Discovered receptor proteins that can recognize bacteria and other microorganisms as they enter the body, and activate innate immunity

Discovered a new cell type that he called the dendritic cell, which led to the first therapeutic vaccine for prostate cancer, Provenge

Studied the structure and function of the ribosome

Helped discover how chromosomes are protected by telomeres and the enzyme telomerase

Developed techniques for manipulating individual genes using mouse embryonic stem cells. This allowed for a more precise understanding of how individual genes worked in the mouse and accelerated the use of the mouse as a model of human cancer. This work has led to the identification of genes that are targets of cancer therapies. This prize was awarded jointly to Mario R. Capecchi, PhD, Sir Martin J. Evans, PhD, and Oliver Smithies, PhD.

Developed techniques for manipulating individual genes, using mouse embryonic stem cells. This allowed for a more precise understanding of how individual genes worked in the mouse and accelerated the use of the mouse as a model of human cancer. This work has led to the identification of genes that are targets of cancer therapies. Dr. Smithies was funded for earlier work on genetic control of protein structure and synthesis. This prize was awarded jointly to Mario R. Capecchi, PhD, Sir Martin J. Evans, PhD, and Oliver Smithies, PhD.

Studied the molecular basis of eukaryotic transcription

Helped discover RNA interference - gene silencing by double-stranded RNA

Helped discover ubiquitin-mediated protein degradation. This prize was awarded jointly to Aaron Ciechanover, MD, Avram Hershko, MD, PhD, and Irwin Rose, PhD. 

Helped discover ubiquitin-mediated protein degradation. This prize was awarded jointly to Aaron Ciechanover, MD, Avram Hershko, MD, PhD, and Irwin Rose, PhD. 

Helped discover ubiquitin-mediated protein degradation. This prize was awarded jointly to Aaron Ciechanover, MD, Avram Hershko, MD, PhD, and Irwin Rose, PhD. 

Discovered key regulators of the cell cycle

Discovered how proteins find their proper location in the cell

Found evidence that certain patterns in development apply to human cancers

Helped to understand how cells talk to one another

Showed that readable regions on DNA are separated by some regions that cannot be read

Pioneered bone marrow transplantation

Discovered that RNA can sometimes act as an enzyme

Found evidence that RNA may have enzymatic properties in cells

Discovered latent cancer genes, oncogenes, in normal cells

Showed that defects in normal genes can cause cancer

Discovered how antibodies are made by cells of the immune system

Showed that some growth factors influence cancer development

Was the first to create a recombinant DNA molecule

Developed a method important for sequencing DNA

Contributed to the understanding of the genetic basis of immunology

Discovered enzymes that modify DNA, facilitating the study of genes

Discovered DNA splicing enzymes important for genetic engineering

Found that certain animal cancer viruses can insert themselves into a cell's DNA

Discovered the reverse transcriptase that translates RNA into DNA

Found that some RNA viruses can transfer their information to DNA

Discovered how enzymes assume their active shapes within the living cell

Did important work on phages to provide basic knowledge of viruses

Showed how DNA replicates itself and the genetic structure of viruses

Determined the structure of transfer RNA, which is important in protein synthesis

Interpretation of the genetic code and its function in protein synthesis

Demonstrated hormonal dependence of breast and prostate cancer cells

Discovered that cancer can be induced by injecting a tumor extract

Determined how the body uses small compounds to build organic molecules for life’s functions

Discovered the double helix structure of DNA

Discovered RNA polymerase, an enzyme that synthesizes RNA

Reported that mutations can alter nutritional requirements of cells

Provided evidence that for every enzyme there is one gene

Isolated and synthesized two sulfurous pituitary hormones. The element sulfur plays an important role in the chemical processes that are the basis of all life. 

Discovered an enzyme that helps to convert food into energy

Discovered that x-ray irradiation can produce cell mutations