Swedish geneticist Svante Paabo won the 2022 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. Paabo was honored for the work that created a new field of ancient DNA studies.

Svante Paabo wins Nobel medicine prize for decoding ancient DNA

On Monday, Swedish scientist Svante Paabo won the 2022 Nobel Prize in Medicine for his groundbreaking research in human evolution by sequencing the genome of Neanderthal DNA and discovering the previously unknown hominin Denisova.&nbsp;

Paabo’s discovery helps us understand what makes humans unique and provides a key insight into our immune system. In a study published in 2020, the scientist and his team reported that Covid patients with certain gene variants inherited from Neanderthals are at a greater risk of severe illness than those who did not.&nbsp;

According to a recording posted on the Nobel website, he thought that the call from Sweden informing him of his Nobel Prize win was an elaborate prank by colleagues or about his summer house in Sweden. “So I was just gulping down the last cup of tea to go and pick up my daughter at her nanny where she has had an overnight stay”, he said in the interview, describing his day.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/swedens-svante-paabo-wins-nobel-medicine-prize-522006">Sweden's Svante Paabo wins Nobel Medicine Prize for sequencing Neanderthal DNA</a>

He added, “And then I got this call from Sweden and I of course thought it had something to do with our little summer house...I thought the lawn mower had broken down or something.” Subsequently, he was asked if he thought he would get the award he said, “No, I have received a couple of prizes before but I somehow did not think that this really would qualify for a Nobel Prize.”&nbsp;

Notably, Paabo’s father, Sune Bergstrom also won the Nobel Prize in medicine in 1982, making this the 8th time that a son or daughter of a Nobel laureate has also won the prize. His father also took a “big interest” in his work but it was his mother who was the “biggest influence” in his life and with whom he grew up, he said during the interview.&nbsp;

In his book, “Neanderthal Man: In Search of Lost Genomes,” he called himself Bergstrom’s “secret extramarital son”, this was also something he reportedly touched upon during the interview.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp; 
 
 
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On Monday, Swedish scientist Svante Paabo won the 2022 Nobel Prize in Medicine for his groundbreaking research in human evolution by sequencing the genome of Neanderthal DNA and discovering the previously unknown hominin Denisova.

On Monday, Swedish scientist Svante Paabo won the 2022 Nobel Prize in Medicine for his groundbreaking research in human evolution by sequencing the genome of Neanderthal DNA and discovering the previously unknown hominin Denisova. Paabo’s discovery helps us understand what makes humans unique and provides a key insight into our immune system. In a study published in 2020, the scientist and his team reported that Covid patients with certain gene variants inherited from Neanderthals are at a greater risk of severe illness than those who did not. According to a recording posted on the Nobel website, he thought that the call from Sweden informing him of his Nobel Prize win was an elaborate prank by colleagues or about his summer house in Sweden. “So I was just gulping down the last cup of tea to go and pick up my daughter at her nanny where she has had an overnight stay”, he said in the interview, describing his day. ALSO READ: Sweden's Svante Paabo wins Nobel Medicine Prize for sequencing Neanderthal DNA He added, “And then I got this call from Sweden and I of course thought it had something to do with our little summer house...I thought the lawn mower had broken down or something.” Subsequently, he was asked if he thought he would get the award he said, “No, I have received a couple of prizes before but I somehow did not think that this really would qualify for a Nobel Prize.” Notably, Paabo’s father, Sune Bergstrom also won the Nobel Prize in medicine in 1982, making this the 8th time that a son or daughter of a Nobel laureate has also won the prize. His father also took a “big interest” in his work but it was his mother who was the “biggest influence” in his life and with whom he grew up, he said during the interview. In his book, “Neanderthal Man: In Search of Lost Genomes,” he called himself Bergstrom’s “secret extramarital son”, this was also something he reportedly touched upon during the interview. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Nobel Prize winner Svante Paabo thought the call from Sweden was about a ‘lawn mower’

Swedish paleogeneticist Svante Paabo has been awarded the Nobel Medicine Prize for the year 2022. Paabo was given the honour for sequencing the genome of the Neanderthal and discovering the previously unknown hominin Denisova.

"By revealing genetic differences that distinguish all living humans from extinct hominins, his discoveries provide the basis for exploring what makes us uniquely human," the Nobel committee said.

Paabo is the director of the department of genetics at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology. He discovered that gene transfer had occurred from these now extinct hominins to Homo sapiens following the migration out of Africa around 70,000 years ago.

"This ancient flow of genes to present-day humans has physiological relevance today, for example affecting how our immune system reacts to infections", the jury said.

In a 2020 study, Paabo had reported that COVID-19 patients with a snippet of Neanderthal DNA run a higher risk of severe complications from the disease.&nbsp;

The honour carries a monetary reward of 10 million Swedish kronor ($901,500). Paabo, 67, will receive the prize from King Carl XVI Gustaf at a formal ceremony in Stockholm on December 10, the anniversary of the 1896 death of scientist Alfred Nobel who created the prizes in his last will and testament.

US pair of David Julius and Ardem Patapoutian had won the prize last year for discoveries on receptors for temperature and touch, which have been used to develop treatments for a wide range of diseases and conditions, including chronic pain.

The Nobel Physics Prize will be announced on Tuesday and the Chemistry Prize on Wednesday. They will be followed by the much-anticipated prizes for Literature on Thursday and Peace on Friday, while the Economics Prize winds things up on Monday, October 10.

(With inputs from agencies)

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Swedish paleogeneticist Svante Paabo has been awarded the Nobel Medicine Prize for the year 2022. Paabo was given the honour for sequencing the genome of the Neanderthal and discovering the previously unknown hominin Denisova.

Swedish paleogeneticist Svante Paabo has been awarded the Nobel Medicine Prize for the year 2022. Paabo was given the honour for sequencing the genome of the Neanderthal and discovering the previously unknown hominin Denisova. "By revealing genetic differences that distinguish all living humans from extinct hominins, his discoveries provide the basis for exploring what makes us uniquely human," the Nobel committee said. Paabo is the director of the department of genetics at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology. He discovered that gene transfer had occurred from these now extinct hominins to Homo sapiens following the migration out of Africa around 70,000 years ago. "This ancient flow of genes to present-day humans has physiological relevance today, for example affecting how our immune system reacts to infections", the jury said. In a 2020 study, Paabo had reported that COVID-19 patients with a snippet of Neanderthal DNA run a higher risk of severe complications from the disease. The honour carries a monetary reward of 10 million Swedish kronor ($901,500). Paabo, 67, will receive the prize from King Carl XVI Gustaf at a formal ceremony in Stockholm on December 10, the anniversary of the 1896 death of scientist Alfred Nobel who created the prizes in his last will and testament. US pair of David Julius and Ardem Patapoutian had won the prize last year for discoveries on receptors for temperature and touch, which have been used to develop treatments for a wide range of diseases and conditions, including chronic pain. The Nobel Physics Prize will be announced on Tuesday and the Chemistry Prize on Wednesday. They will be followed by the much-anticipated prizes for Literature on Thursday and Peace on Friday, while the Economics Prize winds things up on Monday, October 10. (With inputs from agencies)

Sweden's Svante Paabo wins Nobel Medicine Prize for sequencing Neanderthal DNA