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Year

Nobel Laureate

Animal Model

Contribution to Modern Medicine

2009

Carol W. Greider

Protzoan, mouse, frog

Discovery of how chromosomes are protected by telomeres and the enzyme telomerase

2009

Elizabeth H. Blackburn

Protzoan, mouse

Discovery of how chromosomes are protected by telomeres and the enzyme telomerase

2009

Jack W. Szostak

Protzoan

Discovery of how chromosomes are protected by telomeres and the enzyme telomerase

2008

Harald zur Hausen

Hamster, mouse, cow

Discovery of human papilloma viruses causing cervical cancer

2008

Françoise Barré-Sinoussi

Monkey, chimpanzee, mouse

Discovery of human immunodeficiency virus

2008

Luc Montagnier

Monkey, chimpanzee, mouse

Discovery of human immunodeficiency virus

2007

Mario R. Capecchi

Mouse

Discoveries of principles for introducing specific gene modifications in mice by the use of embryonic stem cells

2007

Sir Martin J. Evans

Mouse, Chick

Discoveries of principles for introducing specific gene modifications in mice by the use of embryonic stem cells

2007

Oliver Smithies

Mouse

Discoveries of principles for introducing specific gene modifications in mice by the use of embryonic stem cells

2006

Andrew Z. Fire

Nematode roundworm

Discovery of RNA interference - gene silencing by double-stranded RNA

2006

Craig C. Mello

Nematode roundworm

Discovery of RNA interference - gene silencing by double-stranded RNA

2005

Barry J. Marshall

Piglet

Discovery of the bacterium Helicobacter pylori and its role in gastritis and peptic ulcer disease

2004

Richard Axel

Mouse, Drosophila (fruit flies)

Discoveries of odorant receptors and the organization of the olfactory system

2004

Linda B. Buck

Mouse

Discoveries of odorant receptors and the organization of the olfactory system"

2003

Paul C. Lauterbur

Clam, mouse, dog, rat, chimpanzee, pig, rabbit, frog

Discoveries concerning magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)

2003

Sir Peter Mansfield

Clam, mouse, dog, rat, chimpanzee, pig, rabbit, frog

Discoveries concerning magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)

2002

H. Robert Horvitz

Nematode

Genetic regulation of organ development and programmed cell death

2002

Sydney Brenner

Nematode

Genetic regulation of organ development and programmed cell death

2002

John E. Sulston

Nematode

Genetic regulation of organ development and programmed cell death

2001

Leland H. Hartwell

Sea urchin, frog

Discoveries of key regulators of the cell cycle

2001

Tim Hunt

Sea urchin, frog, Rabbit, Xenopus, Clam

Discoveries of key regulators of the cell cycle

2001

Sir Paul M. Nurse

Sea urchin, frog

Discoveries of key regulators of the cell cycle

2000

Arvid Carlsson

Sea slug, mouse

Discoveries in signal transduction in the nervous system

2000

Paul Greengard

Sea slug, mouse

Discoveries in signal transduction in the nervous system

2000

Eric R. Kandel

Sea slug, mouse

Discoveries in signal transduction in the nervous system

1999

Günter Blobel

Mouse, rat, dog

Discovery that proteins have intrinsic signals that govern their transport and localization in the cell

1998

Robert F. Furchgott

Rabbit

Regulation of blood pressure with nitric oxide (NO)

1998

Louis J. Ignarro

Rabbit

Regulation of blood pressure with nitric oxide (NO)

1998

Ferid Murad

Rabbit

Regulation of blood pressure with nitric oxide (NO)

1997

Stanley B. Prusiner

Mouse, hamster

Discovery of prions, a new biological principle of infection

1996

Peter C. Doherty

Mouse

Recognition of virus-infected cells by the immune system

1996

Rolf M. Zinkernagel

Mouse

Recognition of virus-infected cells by the immune system

1995

Edward B. Lewis

Fruit fly

Genetic control of early embryonic development

1995

Christiane Nüsslein-Volhard

Fruit fly

Genetic control of early embryonic development

1995

Eric F. Wieschaus

Fruit fly

Genetic control of early embryonic development

1994

Alfred G. Gilman

Rat, cow, rabbit, turkey

Discovery of G-proteins and the role of these proteins in signal transduction in cells

1994

Martin Rodbell

Rat, guinea pig, turkey

Discovery of G-proteins and the role of these proteins in signal transduction in cells

1993

Richard J. Roberts

Rats

Discoveries of split genes

1993

Phillip A. Sharp

Mice

Discoveries of split genes

1992

Edmond H. Fischer

Rabbit

Discoveries concerning reversible protein phosphorylation as a biological regulatory mechanism

1992

Edwin G. Krebs

Rabbit, Rat

Discoveries concerning reversible protein phosphorylation as a biological regulatory mechanism

1991

Erwin Neher

Frog

Chemical communication between cells

1991

Bert Sakmann

Frog

Chemical communication between cells

1990

Joseph E. Murray

Dog

Organ transplantation techniques

1990

E. Donnall Thomas

Dog

Organ transplantation techniques

1989

Harold E. Varmus

Chicken

Discovery of the cellular origin of retroviral oncogenes

1989

J. Michael Bishop

Chicken

Discovery of the cellular origin of retroviral oncogenes

1988

Sir James W. Black

Guinea pig, cat, dog, rat

Discoveries of important principles for drug treatment

1988

Gertrude B. Elion

Mice, dog, rabbit, monkey

Discoveries of important principles for drug treatment

1988

George H. Hitchings

Mice, rat, dog

Discoveries of important principles for drug treatment

1987

Susumu Tonegawa

Mouse embryo

Discovery of genetic principle for generation of antibody diversity

1986

Stanley Cohen

Mouse, chick, snake

Nerve growth factor and epidermal growth factor

1986

Rita Levi-Montalcini

Mouse, chick, snake

Nerve growth factor and epidermal growth factor

1985

Michael S. Brown

Rats

Discoveries concerning the regulation of cholesterol metabolism

1985

Joseph L. Goldstein

Rats

Discoveries concerning the regulation of cholesterol metabolism

1984

Niels K. Jerne

Mouse

Techniques of monoclonal antibody formation

1984

Georges J.F. Köhler

Mouse

Techniques of monoclonal antibody formation

1984

César Milstein

Mouse

Techniques of monoclonal antibody formation

1982

Sune K. Bergström

Rat, rabbit, guinea pig

Discovery of prostaglandins

1982

Bengt I. Samuelsson

Rat, rabbit, guinea pig

Discovery of prostaglandins

1982

John R. Vane

Rat, rabbit, guinea pig

Discovery of prostaglandins

1981

Roger W. Sperry

Cat, monkey

Discoveries concerning the functional specialization of the cerebral hemispheres

1981

David H. Hubel

Cat, monkey

Discoveries concerning information processing in the visual system

1981

Torsten N. Wiesel

Cat, monkey

Discoveries concerning information processing in the visual system

1980

Baruj Benacerraf

Mouse, guinea pig

Identification of histocompatibility antigens and mechanism of action

1980

Jean Dausset

Mouse, guinea pig

Identification of histocompatibility antigens and mechanism of action

1980

George D. Snell

Mouse, guinea pig

Identification of histocompatibility antigens and mechanism of action

1979

Allan M. Cormack

Pig

Development of computer assisted tomography (CAT scan)

1979

Godfrey N. Hounsfield

Pig

Development of computer assisted tomography (CAT scan)

1977

Roger Guillemin

Sheep, pig

Discoveries concerning the peptide hormone production of the brain

1977

Andrew V. Schally

Sheep, pig

Discoveries concerning the peptide hormone production of the brain

1977

Rosalyn Yalow

Sheep, pig

Development of radioimmunoassays of peptide hormones

1976

Baruch S. Blumberg

Chimpanzee

New mechanisms for the origin and dissemination of infectious diseases

1976

D. Carleton Gajdusek

Chimpanzee

New mechanisms for the origin and dissemination of infectious diseases

1975

David Baltimore

Monkey, horse, chicken, mouse

Interaction between tumor viruses and gentic material

1975

Renato Dulbecco

Monkey, horse, chicken, mouse

Interaction between tumor viruses and gentic material

1975

Howard Martin Temin

Monkey, horse, chicken, mouse

Interaction between tumor viruses and gentic material

1974

Albert Claude

Chicken, guinea pig, rat

Structural and functional organization of cells

1974

Christian de Duve

Chicken, guinea pig, rat

Structural and functional organization of cells

1974

George E. Palade

Chicken, guinea pig, rat

Structural and functional organization of cells

1973

Karl von Frisch

Bee, bird, fish

Organization of social and behavior patterns in animals

1973

Konrad Lorenz

Bee, bird, fish

Organization of social and behavior patterns in animals

1973

Nikolaas Tinbergen

Bee, bird, fish

Organization of social and behavior patterns in animals

1972

Gerald M. Edelman

Guinea pig, rabbit

Chemical structure of antibodies

1972

Rodney R. Porter

Guinea pig, rabbit

Chemical structure of antibodies

1971

Earl W. Sutherland, Jr.

Mammalian liver

Mechanism of the actions of hormones

1970

Sir Bernard Katz

Cat, rat

Mechanism of storage and release of nerve transmitters

1970

Ulf von Euler

Cat, rat

Mechanism of storage and release of nerve transmitters

1970

Julius Axelrod

Cat, rat

Mechanism of storage and release of nerve transmitters

1968

Robert W. Holley

Rat

Interpretation of the genetic code and its function in protein synthesis

1968

Har Gobind Khorana

Rat

Interpretation of the genetic code and its function in protein synthesis

1968

Marshall W. Nirenberg

Rat

Interpretation of the genetic code and its function in protein synthesis

1967

Ragnar Granit

Chicken, rabbit, fish, crab

Primary physiological and chemical processes of vision

1967

Haldan Keffer Hartline

Chicken, rabbit, fish, crab

Primary physiological and chemical processes of vision

1967

George Wald

Chicken, rabbit, fish, crab

Primary physiological and chemical processes of vision

1966

Peyton Rous

Rat, rabbit, hen

Discovery of tumour-inducing viruses

1966

Charles Brenton Huggins

Rat, rabbit, hen

Discoveries concerning hormonal treatment of prostatic cancer

1964

Konrad Bloch

Rat

Regulation of cholesterol and fatty acid metabolism

1964

Feodor Lynen

Rat

Regulation of cholesterol and fatty acid metabolism

1963

Sir John Carew Eccles

Cat, frog, squid, crab

Ionic mechanisms involved in excitation and inhibition in the peripheral and central portions of the nerve cell membrane

1963

Alan Lloyd Hodgkin

Cat, frog, squid, crab

Ionic mechanisms involved in excitation and inhibition in the peripheral and central portions of the nerve cell membrane

1963

Andrew Fielding Huxley

Cat, frog, squid, crab

Ionic mechanisms involved in excitation and inhibition in the peripheral and central portions of the nerve cell membrane

1961

Georg von Békésy

Guinea pig

Physical mechanism of stimulation within the cochlea

1960

Sir Frank Macfarlane Burnet

Rabbit

Discovery of acquired immunological tolerance

1960

Peter Brian Medawar

Rabbit

Discovery of acquired immunological tolerance

1957

Daniel Bovet

Dog, rabbit

Production of synthetic compounds and their action on the vascular system and skeletal muscles

1955

Axel Hugo Theodor Theorell

Horse

Nature and mode of action of oxidation enzymes

1954

John Franklin Enders

Monkey, mouse

Culture of poliovirus that led to development of vaccine

1954

Thomas Huckle Weller

Monkey, mouse

Culture of poliovirus that led to development of vaccine

1954

Frederick Chapman Robbins

Monkey, mouse

Culture of poliovirus that led to development of vaccine

1953

Hans Adolf Krebs

Pigeon

Discovery of the citric acid cycle

1953

Fritz Albert Lipmann

Pigeon

Discovery of co-enzyme A and its importance in intermediary metabolism

1952

Selman Abraham Waksman

Guinea pig

Discovery of streptomycin, the first effective antibiotic against tuberculosis

1951

Max Theiler

Monkey, mouse

Development of yellow fever vaccine

1950

Edward Calvin Kendall

Cow

Antiarthritic role of adrenal hormones

1950

Tadeus Reichstein

Cow

Antiarthritic role of adrenal hormones

1950

Philip Showalter Hench

Cow

Antiarthritic role of adrenal hormones

1949

Walter Rudolf Hess

Cat

Functional organization of the brain as a coordinator of internal organs

1949

Antonio Caetano de Abreu Freire Egas Moniz

Cat

Discovery of the therapeutic value of leucotomy in certain psychoses

1947

Carl Ferdinand Cori

Frog, toad, dog

Catalytic conversion glycogen

1947

Gerty Theresa Cori, née Radnitz

Frog, toad, dog

Catalytic conversion glycogen

1947

Bernardo Alberto Houssay

Frog, toad, dog

Role of pituitary in sugar metabolism

1945

Sir Alexander Fleming

Mouse

Discovery of penicillin and its curative effect in various infectious diseases

1945

Ernst Boris Chain

Mouse

Discovery of penicillin and its curative effect in various infectious diseases

1945

Sir Howard Walter Florey

Mouse

Discovery of penicillin and its curative effect in various infectious diseases

1944

Joseph Erlanger

Cat

Specific functions of nerve cells

1944

Herbert Spencer Gasser

Cat

Specific functions of nerve cells

1943

Henrik Carl Peter Dam

Rat, dog, chick, mouse

Discovery of function of Vitamin K

1943

Edward Adelbert Doisy

Rat, dog, chick, mouse

Discovery of function of Vitamin K

1939

Gerhard Domagk

Mouse, rabbit

Antibacterial effects of prontosil

1938

Corneille Jean François Heymans

Dog

Role of the sinus and aortic mechanisms in regulation of respirtation

1936

Sir Henry Hallett Dale

Cat, frog, bird, reptile

Chemical transmission of nerve impulses

1936

Otto Loewi

Cat, frog, bird, reptile

Chemical transmission of nerve impulses

1935

Hans Spemann

Newt, frog

Organizer effect in embryonic development

1934

George Hoyt Whipple

Dog

Liver therapy for anemia

1934

George Richards Minot

Dog

Liver therapy for anemia

1934

William Parry Murphy

Dog

Liver therapy for anemia

1932

Sir Charles Scott Sherrington

Dog, cat

Function of neurons

1932

Edgar Douglas Adrian

Dog, cat

Function of neurons

1929

Christiaan Eijkman

Chicken

Discovery of antineuritic and growth stimulating vitamins

1929

Sir Frederick Gowland Hopkins

Chicken

Discovery of antineuritic and growth stimulating vitamins

1928

Charles Jules Henri Nicolle

Monkey, guinea pig, rat, mouse

Pathogenesis of typhus

1924

Willem Einthoven

Dog

Mechanism of the electrocardiogram

1923

Frederick Grant Banting

Dog, rabbit, fish

Discovery of insulin and mechanism of diabetes

1923

John James Richard Macleod

Dog, rabbit, fish

Discovery of insulin and mechanism of diabetes

1922

Archibald Vivian Hill

Frog

Discovery relating to the production of heat in the muscle

1920

Schack August Steenberg Krogh

Frog

Discovery of capillary motor regulating mechanism

1919

Jules Bordet

Guinea pig, horse, rabbit

Mechanisms of immunity

1913

Charles Robert Richet

Dog, rabbit

Mechanisms of anaphylaxis

1912

Alexis Carrel

Dog

Surgical advances in the suture and grafting of blood vessels

1910

Albrecht Kossel

Bird

Knowledge of cell chemistry through work on proteins, including nuclear substances

1908

Ilya Ilyich Mechnikov

Bird, fish, guinea pig

Immune reactions and functions of phagocytes

1908

Paul Ehrlich

Bird, fish, guinea pig

Immune reactions and functions of phagocytes

1907

Charles Louis Alphonse Laveran

Bird

Role of protozoa as cause of disease

1906

Camillo Golgi

Dog, horse

Characterization of the central nervous system

1906

Santiago Ramón y Cajal

Dog, horse

Characterization of the central nervous system

1905

Robert Koch

Cow, sheep

Studies of pathogenesis of tuberculosis

1904

Ivan Petrovich Pavlov

Dog

Animal responses to various stimuli

1902

Ronald Ross

Pigeon

Understanding of malaria life cycle

1901

Emil Adolf von Behring

Guinea Pig

Development of diphtheria antiserum

 

Research leading to almost every Nobel Prize in Medicine awarded since 1901 was dependent on data from animal models.  This fact dramatically demonstrates the important contribution animal models in biomedical research make to both international and American medical progress. In fact, since 1979, every Nobel Prize in Medicine awarded was dependent on data from animal models with the exception of the 1983 Prize awarded to Dr. Barbara McClintock for her work in plant genetics.