Nobel Medicine Prize for work on Temperature and Touch
Part of: Prelims and GS – III – Sci and tech
ContextU.S. scientists David Julius and Ardem Patapoutian have won the Nobel Medicine Prize for discoveries on receptors for temperature and touch.
The groundbreaking discoveries have allowed us to understand how heat, cold and mechanical force can initiate the nerve impulses that allow us to perceive and adapt to the world.
The pair’s research is being used to develop treatments for a wide range of diseases and conditions, including chronic pain.
Do you know?
Mr. Julius was recognised for his research using capsaicin — a compound from chili peppers that induces a burning sensation — to identify which nerve sensors in the skin respond to heat.
