The present book discusses the Nobel Prizes in physiology or medicine from 1969 to 1971. The 1969 prize recognized Max Delbrück, Alfred Hershey and Salvador Luria. Their pioneering studies of viruses infecting bacteria, bacteriophages, from the mid-1940s through the 1950s laid the foundation for the wide field of molecular biology. The nature of the gene was finally understood. Insights into the biochemistry of the critical information molecules, the nucleic acids, opened wide vistas for interpreting their expression and the interaction of their product with other gene products.The contact between the endings of a nerve and a target cell, the synapse, has always stirred the imagination of scientists. A number of the insights gained have been highlighted by Nobel Prizes in physiology or medicine. In 1970 the prize recognized Bernard Katz, Ulf von Euler and Julius Axelrod. They had revealed how signaling substances in the nerve terminals were stored in packages, released by membrane fusion and inactivated or reused by particular metabolic events.The recipient of the 1971 Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine was a single scientist, Earl Sutherland. He had identified critical molecules in cells that allow signals elicited at their surface via a number of internal steps to influence the expression of specific genes in the nucleus. The new kind of information transmitting molecules were referred to as 'secondary messengers'. They represent a critical part of a highly complex network of signaling controlling the operative conditions of the cell by adjustments of the so-called intermediary metabolism.The widening insights into functions of specialized cells and their complex interactions have led to the development of many kinds of remedies.

This biography of Nobel Laureate Barbara McClintock (1902-1992) places her life and work in its social, scientific and personal context. The author examines the development of Barbara McClintock’s scientific work and her influence upon individuals and upon the fields of cytogenetics and evolutionary biology in the period from 1902 to the present. The history documents years of McClintock’s notable and lauded scientific work long before she discovered and named transposable elements in the mid-1940s for which she ultimately received the Nobel Prize. The biography employs documented evidence to expose, demystify, and provide clarity for legends and misinterpretations of McClintock’s life and work. Key Features Exposes and demystifies myths and legends told about McClintock’s time in Missouri Clarifies the changing language of genes and genetics Places in perspective the history of McClintock’s research Documents McClintock’s family and early life before college Provides documented details of McClintock’s time in Nazi Germany

A Nobel Prize–winning cancer biologist, leader of major scientific institutions, and scientific adviser to President Obama reflects on his remarkable career. A PhD candidate in English literature at Harvard University, Harold Varmus discovered he was drawn instead to medicine and eventually found himself at the forefront of cancer research at the University of California, San Francisco. In this “timely memoir of a remarkable career” (American Scientist), Varmus considers a life’s work that thus far includes not only the groundbreaking research that won him a Nobel Prize but also six years as the director of the National Institutes of Health; his current position as the president of the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center; and his important, continuing work as scientific adviser to President Obama. From this truly unique perspective, Varmus shares his experiences from the trenches of politicized battlegrounds ranging from budget fights to stem cell research, global health to science publishing.

The intensive study of molecular events leading to cellular transformation in tissue culture or in intact organisms culminated in the identification of 100 or more genes that can be defined as oncogenes or tumor suppressor genes. Functionally, these genes can be divided into several classes, each involved in a different step in transmission of signals from the exterior of the cell to the nucleus. The first oncogenes to be biochemically character ized included membrane receptors for growth factors, growth factors themselves, protein kinases or small GTP binding proteins involved in signal transduction. Later, the development of techniques to study pro teins-DNA interaction in eucaryotes and the isolation and characterization of many promoter and enhancer sequences revealed that a number of the classical retroviral oncogenes were indeed transcription factors. In paral lel, the rapid progress in the identification and cloning of chromosomal translocations in human and animal malignancies and the increased reper toire of known transcription factors families revealed that many other transcription factors can playa critical role in cancer. A more recent devel opment concerns tumor suppressor genes. The realization that human tumors are frequently associated with a loss of function of one or several genes is also one of the landmarks of cancer research in the last 15 years. Again, as we will see below, some of these genes encode transcription factors. It is becoming increasingly difficult to cover in a single monograph all oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes.

This is the third book in a series presenting Nobel Prizes in the life sciences using the remarkably rich archives of nominations and reviews which are kept secret for 50 years after the awards have been made. The two previous books are Nobel Prizes and Life Sciences (2010) and Nobel Prizes and Nature's Surprises (2013). The present book discusses the prizes in physiology or medicine 1963–65. The 1963 prize recognized milestone discoveries in the field of neurosciences, the way electrical impulses are generated and spread in nerves. The impressive developments of insights into tantalizing brain functions, like consciousness and memory, is discussed in the perspective of prizes both before and after the 1963 prize. The prize in 1964 marked the advanced biochemical venture that led to a full understanding of the synthesis of cholesterol, a central molecule for providing flexibility of the membranes of the trillions of cell in our body. The importance of this molecule for the appearance of cardiovascular diseases and the possibilities to prevent them is presented in the light of other prizes earlier and later in this field. The 1965 prize recognized three impressive French intellectuals, Lwoff, Monod and Jacob. Their contributions allowed the full maturation of the initial phase of the emerging field of molecular biology. The comprehension of the information flow from DNA via RNA to proteins was the source of a revolution of life sciences and of medicine.

Each year the Nobel Prizes in the natural sciences reveal amazing discoveries. New milestones in the relentless advance of science are identified. The growth of knowledge and its evolution can be researched in the Nobel archives where nominations are kept secret for 50 years after the awards have been made. They represent a treasure for real-time assessment of science. Norrby's earlier book, Nobel Prizes and Life Sciences (2010) examined the unique archival records until 1959. The present book takes us up to 1962, surveying a range of dazzling discoveries. All prizes in immunology are reviewed. Their impact on our capacity to control infectious diseases and transplant organs are highlighted. The Nobel year 1962 is exceptional in recognizing the most major advance in biology since Darwin in 1859 presented his theory of evolution. This was the dramatic discovery of the double-helix structure of DNA by Watson and Crick in 1953. The era of molecular biology had begun. Its explosive development continues into the present. Contents:A Magician of Virology from AustraliaA Divided Nobel Prize and a New Era in ImmunologyMore Nobel Prizes in ImmunologyImmunity, Infections and TransplantationsTransgressing Borders in Science and Scenes of LifeMaking Sense of HearingUnraveling the Complexity of Protein Folding“It's So Beautiful, You See, So Beautiful”Coda Readership: General. Keywords:DNA;Nobel Prize;Life Science;Medical Disoveries;Molecular BiologyReviews: "This book describes and explains one of the most important discoveries of the 20th century. It is a seminal work, that scholars of the History of Science will use to be able to understand how science evolves. Young scientists will find this book a valuable resource." Sir Aaron Klug Nobel laureate in Chemistry, 1982 "Speculation about what happens in the selection of Nobel Prize winners is part of both the narrative and the ‘gossip’ of science. Interpreting what went on in the Nobel selection committees 50 years ago requires both an intimate understanding of how the process works and familiarity with subtleties of the Swedish language. Erling Norrby has the proper personal experiences to make such evaluations. In the present, his second, book he mainly reviews Medical Nobel awards during 1960 and 1962. Coming as it does near the beginnings of the modern medicine — recognizing exceptional advances in immunology and molecular biology — this is a fascinating era for those who are intrigued by the history of discovery." Peter C Doherty Nobel laureate in Physiology or Medicine, 1996 "The moment the Nobel Foundation announces its Prizes in the sciences, decades of struggle and turmoil toward discovery enter the spotlight. To skillfully examine some of the most dramatic scientific advances in the middle of the twentieth century, Erling Norrby has reached deeply into the Nobel archives to examine firsthand how many of the most illustrious Prizes from that era came to be awarded. As a superb scientist, educator and administrator, Dr Norrby is able to tell these stories within the context of the scientific discoveries." Stanley B Prusiner Nobel laureate in Physiology or Medicine, 1997 “I particularly enjoyed Norrby's lengthy treatment of the 1962 chemistry prize — to James Watson, Francis Crick, and Maurice Wilkins, 1962 for their structural work on the structure of DNA … This well-referenced and copiously illustrated book, featuring meditations, poetry, quotations, and miscellaneous musings, is a true labour of love. I heartily recommend it to anyone interested in the history of scientific discovery, the personalities of those who pursue it, and how it actually happens and is received.” Chemistry & Industry

The Nobel Prizes m natural sciences have achieved the reputation of being the ultimate accolade for scientific achievements. This honk gives a unique insight into the selection of Nobel Prize recipients, in particular the life sciences. The evolving mechanisms of selection of prize recipients are illustrated by reference to archives, which have remained secret for 1) years. Many of the prizes subjected to particular evaluation concern awards given for discoveries in the field of infectious diseases and the interconnected field of genetics. The book illustrates the individuals and environments that are conducive to scientific creativity. Nowhere is this enigmatic activity'-- the mime mover in advancing the human condition highlighted as lucidly as by identification individuals worthy of Nobel Prizes. --Book Jacket.