STOCKHOLM, Sweden: As Nobel Prize season unfolds, the world awaits the announcement of laureates, with the Medicine Prize scheduled to be revealed on Monday.
Established by Swedish inventor and philanthropist Alfred Nobel in 1901, these prestigious awards recognize individuals who have made extraordinary contributions benefiting humanity.
The Nobel Medicine Prize announcement will take place in Stockholm on Monday around 11:30 am (0930 GMT), marking the start of a week of Nobel Prize revelations. Physics will follow on Tuesday, chemistry on Wednesday, and literature on Thursday.
The highly-anticipated Nobel Peace Prize, the only award presented in Oslo, will be announced on Friday, with the Economics Prize concluding the series on October 9.
Over the years, the Nobel Medicine Prize has celebrated groundbreaking discoveries, including the X-ray, penicillin, insulin, and DNA. However, it has also faced controversies, awarding now-discredited achievements like the lobotomy and the insecticide DDT.
This year, several possibilities loom as potential laureates. Research into narcolepsy and the discovery of orexin, a neuropeptide essential for regulating sleep, is among the contenders. Another promising area is the groundbreaking work of Hungarian-born Katalin Kariko and Drew Weissman, whose research led to the development of the first mRNA vaccines against Covid-19 by Pfizer and Moderna. While their work has already received numerous accolades, the Nobel committee often waits to ensure the research’s lasting impact before bestowing the prize.
Annika Ostman, a science reporter at Swedish public radio SR, suggests Kevan Shokat, an American biologist who unraveled the KRAS cancer gene’s secrets, could be a candidate. Shokat’s discoveries could revolutionize treatment for challenging cancers, including lung, colon, and pancreatic tumors.
In the realm of T-cell therapy for cancer treatment and human microbiome research, potential Nobel-worthy contributions abound. David Pendlebury, head of the Clarivate analytics group, emphasizes that there are more deserving candidates than Nobel Prizes available.
The field of synthetic biology, with scientists like Stanislas Leibler and Michael Elowitz, who have explored synthetic gene circuits to redesign organisms, could also attract attention. However, ethical concerns about the limits of creating life may arise.
For the Physics Prize, contenders include discoveries related to twisted graphene, the IceCube Neutrino Observatory in Antarctica, and advancements in high-density data storage (spintronics).
Wednesday’s Chemistry Prize could recognize next-generation DNA sequencing or research aimed at targeting and delivering drugs to genes. Omar Yaghi’s work on porous materials known as MOFs, which can absorb poisonous gases or harvest water from desert air, stands out for its environmental potential.
In recent years, criticism has arisen regarding the lack of gender and geographical diversity among Nobel laureates, particularly in the sciences. Efforts are being made to address this imbalance.
As for the Peace Prize, the current global conflicts have made predicting potential winners a challenge. Iranian women who protested against the strict dress code following the death in custody of Mahsa Amini have been suggested as candidates. Organizations documenting war crimes in Ukraine or the International Criminal Court, which could judge such crimes in the future, are also possibilities.
Dan Smith, head of the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, believes climate change could be a fitting focus for this year’s Peace Prize, following a year of extreme weather events worldwide.
The Economics Prize may acknowledge research on income and wealth inequality, a pressing issue in today’s world.
The Nobel Prize season holds its suspense as the world watches for these exceptional achievements to be recognized and celebrated.
