The 2017 Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine has been awarded to three US-born scientists; Jeffrey Hall, Michael Rosbash and Michael Young.

Advertisement

The trio shared the Prize for their discoveries of molecular mechanisms controlling the circadian rhythm.

The announcement was made in Stockholm on Monday and is the first of the prizes to be made known by the Nobel Prize committee.

Circadian in circadian rhythm, originates from the Latin words circa meaning “around” and dies meaning “day”.

Advertisement

The scientists were able to establish how man’s biological clock helps to regulate sleep patterns, feeding behavior, hormone release and blood pressure.

Using fruit flies as a model organism, this year’s Nobel laureates isolated a gene that controls the daily biological rhythm.

The Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine has been awarded 107 times to 211 Nobel laureates between 1901 and 2016.

Advertisement

Yoshinori Ohsumi won in 2016 for his discoveries of mechanisms for autophagy while in 2015, William Campbell and Satoshi Ōmura shared the honour for their discoveries concerning a novel therapy against infections caused by roundworm parasites.



Copyright 2024 TheCable. All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from TheCable.

Follow us on twitter @Thecablestyle