Discovery of cells that keep immune responses in check wins medicine Nobel Prize

The 2022 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine has been awarded to Svante Pääbo for his discoveries concerning the genomes of extinct hominins and human evolution. Pääbo's groundbreaking research has shed light on the genetic relationships between modern humans, Neanderthals, and other extinct human relatives. Pääbo's work has revealed that modern humans share a significant portion of their genomes with Neanderthals, indicating that interbreeding occurred between the two species. This discovery has revolutionized our understanding of human evolution and the complex interactions between different human species. The awarded research has also provided insights into the genetic basis of traits that distinguish modern humans from our extinct relatives, such as immune system function and susceptibility to certain diseases. Pääbo's work has had a profound impact on the field of evolutionary biology and has opened up new avenues for exploring the genetic history of the human species.