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Rockefeller University professor awarded Nobel Prize
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Ralph Steinman, MD, professor at Rockefeller University, was awarded the 2011 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his work with dendritic cells and adaptive immunology.
After discovering the immune system’s dendritic cells and showing they could help curb infections and develop immunologic memory in the 1970s, Steinman began to investigate the extent and mechanism by which dendritic cells influence transplant reactions. Unfortunately, the announcement of Nobel Prize winners was released days after Steinman’s death from pancreatic cancer on September 30.
The American Heart Association released a statement about the award and Steinman’s passing. “Although the AHA is saddened to hear of Dr. Steinman’s untimely death, we are grateful to have supported his important research, which was focused at helping countless people live longer lives,” AHA president Gordon Tomaselli, MD, said in a press release. “Much of Steinman’s work focused on cancer but he also worked to expand the understanding of immunology’s role in transplant rejection.”