Nobel Medicine Prize for research into ageing

Australian-American researcher Elizabeth Blackburn and Carol Greider and Jack Szostak of the United States won the Nobel Medicine Prize on Monday for identifying a key molecular switch in cellular ageing. The trio were honoured for the discovery of how chromosomes are protected by telomeres and the role of an enzyme called telomerase in maintaining or stripping away this vital shield. "The award of the Nobel Prize recognises the discovery of a fundamental mechanism in the cell, a discovery that has stimulated the development of new therapeutic strategies," the Nobel jury said.
The three told Swedish Radio they were overjoyed by the news. Blackburn said she knew when they made their discovery that they were on to something big. Many experts initially speculated that ageing could be pinned to telomere shortening, but the process has emerged as something that encompasses different factors, as well as telomeres. In addition, high telomerase also helps cancer, enabling its cells to replicate endlessly and achieve what scientists call "cellular immortality." Finding ways of blocking this machinery through "telomerase inhibitors" is one of the most eagerly explored areas of cancer research.