2008 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine

The winners of the 2008 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine have been announced. This year's prize recognizes the significance of discovering viruses that cause severe human diseases. Half of the prize goes to Harald zur Hausen (Germany) "for his discovery of human papilloma viruses causing cervical cancer" and the other half of the prize is split between Françoise Barré-Sinoussi (France) and Luc Montagnier (France) "for their discovery of human immunodeficiency virus".

Photo: HIV particles are seen as green specks on this cultured white blood cell. (CDC)

2008 Nobel Prize in Physics