2020 NOBEL PRIZE FOR MEDICINE.
                     Sub t i t l e
2020 NOBEL 
PRIZE FOR 
MEDICINE
INTRODUCTION
The 2020 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was 
jointly awarded to Harvey J. Alter, Michael Houghton 
and Charles M. Rice for the discovery of Hepatitis C 
virus.
Source: thehindu.com
SIGNIFICANCE
The medicine prize carried particular significance this 
year due to the coronavirus pandemic, which has 
highlighted the importance that medical research has 
for societies and economies around the world.
The Nobel Committee often recognizes basic science 
that has laid the foundations for practical applications in 
common use today.
Source: thehindu.com
ALL ABOUT THE 
WINNERS
In the 1980s, Dr. Houghton, along with two colleagues 
Qui-Lim Choo and George Kuo, became the first to 
identify and formally name the hepatitis C virus as the 
infectious culprit. 
Dr. Rice’s genetic experiments added important details 
to scientists’ understanding of the virus
Source: Science News
What is Hepatitis C 
virus?
Hepatitis C is a blood-borne virus and causes Hepatitis 
C disease which affects the liver. 
According to WHO globally, an estimated 71 million 
people have chronic hepatitis C virus infection and a 
significant number develop cirrhosis or liver cancer.
Source:
How did they 
discover a new 
virus?
Harvey J. Alter who was studying hepatitis in patients 
who had received blood transfusions, found many 
unexplained infections. 
His team demonstrated that blood from these patients 
could transmit the disease to chimpanzees.
Source: YouTube
DNA & RNA 
fragments 
This new virus could not be isolated for several years 
using the traditional techniques for virus isolation. 
Michael Houghton and his team created a collection of 
DNA fragments from the blood of an infected 
chimpanzee and thoroughly searched it. 
They found a novel RNA virus belonging to the 
Flavivirus family and named it the Hepatitis C virus.
Source: Lumen Learning
RNA variant
To understand if this new virus alone could cause 
hepatitis, Charles M. Rice used genetic engineering, 
generated an RNA variant of the virus and injected it 
into the liver of chimpanzees. 
Source: Wikipedia
Transfusion-mediated 
hepatitis
The virus was detected in the blood and the chimpanzees 
exhibited changes similar to those seen in humans with the 
disease. 
This was the final proof that the virus alone was the cause 
behind the unexplained cases of transfusion-mediated 
hepatitis.
Source: thehindu.com
Why does this 
discovery matter?
The discoveries by the three Nobel laureates have helped 
design sensitive blood tests that have eliminated the risk of 
transfusion-transmitted hepatitis. 
Their discovery also helped develop antiviral drugs directed 
at hepatitis C. 
This has now raised hopes of eradicating the virus from the 
world population.
Source: Compound Medicine
PRIZE MONEY
The prestigious award comes with a gold medal and prize 
money of 10 million Swedish kronor (over $1,118,000), 
courtesy of a bequest left 124 years ago by Alfred Nobel.
Source: thehindu.com
THANK YOU