On October 4, 2021, the Nobel Assembly at Karolinska Institutet awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine to David Julius and Ardem Patapoutian "for their discoveries of receptors for temperature and touch."
The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine kicks off the week's announcements each year. In 2020, it recognized Michael Houghton, Harvey J. Alter, and Charles M. Rice for their work on hepatitis C. This year honors David Julius, professor of physiology at the University of California, San Francisco, and Ardem Patapoutian, molecular biologist and neuroscientist at Scripps Research in La Jolla, California. Their breakthroughs have uncovered key mechanisms linking our senses to the environment.
The Nobel Committee highlighted how these scientists addressed a fundamental question: How do we perceive our surroundings?
"For thousands of years, the mechanisms of our senses have intrigued us—how eyes detect light, ears process sound, and chemical compounds trigger smell and taste," the committee noted.
While many sensory pathways are well understood, a critical gap persisted: How do temperature and mechanical stimuli transform into nerve impulses?
"Our ability to sense heat, cold, and touch is vital for survival and shapes our interaction with the world," the committee stated. "Yet, how do these sensations generate nerve impulses?"
Julius used capsaicin from chili peppers to pinpoint a heat-sensitive ion channel in skin nerve endings. Patapoutian identified pressure-sensitive cells, isolating a new ion channel class that detects mechanical force in skin and organs.
These discoveries explain how heat, cold, and mechanical stimuli trigger nerve signals, enabling perception and adaptation. They pave the way for new treatments targeting chronic pain from diseases, injuries, and therapies.
The remaining prizes follow: Physics on Tuesday, Chemistry on Wednesday, and Literature on Thursday from Stockholm; Peace on Friday from Oslo.
