The winner of the renowned award was said to be “overwhelmed” and “speechless” and requested permission to inform his wife of the “extremely happy” news.
The 2022 Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine has been given to a Swedish scientist who utilized DNA sequencing to discover the relationship between extinct and current humans.
Svante Paabo was awarded what is likely the most prestigious scientific prize for his discoveries “concerning the genomes of extinct hominins and the development of humans.”
He received the news “while enjoying a cup of coffee” and was claimed to be “overwhelmed”; he then requested permission to inform his wife.
Mr. Paabo is the son of Sune Bergstrom, a biochemist who won the Nobel Prize.
After establishing methods for examining DNA sequences from archaeological and palaeontological remains, he is regarded as having revolutionized the study of human origins.
His major accomplishments include decoding the full Neanderthal genome to determine the relationship between extinct and current humans.
Through the discovery of a 40,000-year-old finger bone fragment in Siberia, he also revealed the existence of a previously unknown human species known as the Denisovans.
“Extremely thrilled”
Thomas Perlmann, secretary of the Nobel Committee for Physiology or Medicine, described Mr. Paabo’s response to receiving the award: “He was so overjoyed that he was rendered speechless.
“He asked whether he could tell anyone, including his wife, and I permitted him to do so.
He was ecstatic about receiving this prize.
The prize is granted by the Karolinska Institute of the Nobel Assembly of Sweden and is worth 10 million Swedish crowns (£804,000).
The COVID-19 pandemic has placed medical research in the spotlight, with many anticipating formal recognition for the work involved in creating vaccinations.
When asked why the prize was not granted for advancements in combating COVID, Mr. Perlmann responded, “We only discuss those who are winning the Nobel Prize, not those who have not yet earned it.”
