Svante Paabo, Swedish scientist, wins Nobel Prize for research on human evolution

Svante Pääbo, a Swedish scientist, has been awarded with the 2022 Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine.

In a statement on Monday, the Nobel Assembly said he was recognised for his discoveries concerning “the genomes of extinct hominins (primate) and human evolution”.

The assembly said the scientist led research which showed that there was gene transfer between the closest extinct human species and modern humans.

Paabo’s discoveries were said to have created a basis for understanding what makes us human.

“Through his pioneering research, Svante Pääbo accomplished something seemingly impossible: sequencing the genome of the Neanderthal, an extinct relative of present-day humans,” the statement reads.

“He also made the sensational discovery of a previously unknown hominin, Denisova.

“Importantly, Pääbo also found that gene transfer had occurred from these now extinct hominins to Homo sapiens following the migration out of Africa around 70,000 years ago. This ancient flow of genes to present-day humans has physiological relevance today, for example affecting how our immune system reacts to infections.

“Pääbo’s seminal research gave rise to an entirely new scientific discipline; paleogenomics.

“By revealing genetic differences that distinguish all living humans from extinct hominins, his discoveries provide the basis for exploring what makes us uniquely human.

“Thanks to Svante Pääbo’s discoveries, we now understand that archaic gene sequences from our extinct relatives influence the physiology of present-day humans.”

The prize is worth 10 million Swedish crowns ($900,357).