David Julius and Ardem Patapoutian receive recognition for discovering receptors that detect temperature and touch, a critical discovery for pain management and survival.

In a groundbreaking achievement, Professors David Julius and Ardem Patapoutian have been awarded the 2021 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for their pioneering research into the sense of touch. The pair, based in California, were honored for their discovery of sensory receptors in the skin that respond to heat, cold, and mechanical touch, helping humans sense the world around them and survive dangerous situations.

Julius, a physiologist at the University of California, San Francisco, and Patapoutian, a neuroscientist at Scripps Research, made key advancements in understanding how the body processes tactile sensations. Their work has opened the door to potential medical treatments for conditions like chronic pain, where the normal sense of touch or temperature is distorted.

The Nobel assembly, meeting at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, announced that the 10 million kronor ($845,000) prize will be divided equally between the two researchers. According to Prof Abdel El Manira, a member of the Nobel committee, the discoveries have significantly reshaped our understanding of how humans interact with their environment, including our instinctual responses to danger, like pulling our hand away from a flame.