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By Melissa Bedard, MRC Human Immunology Unit, MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine

3D image of a blue virus

Image courtesy of Shutterstock

October is a special time of year. The autumn leaves and crisp air mark the beginning of a new academic term. It also marks the annual announcements of the year’s Nobel Laureates, starting with the recipients of the Nobel Prize in Medicine and Physiology.

As scientists, we dream that our work today might revolutionise tomorrow – the kind of achievements that are recognised by a Nobel Prize. My research, like that of many immunologists, is primarily basic in nature. This year’s Nobel Prize in Medicine and Physiology is an exciting reminder that basic immunology discoveries can serve not only as key building blocks to better understanding fundamental immune cell function, but also as therapeutic targets in the fight against immune-mediated diseases.

Read more (University of Oxford Science Blog)