Ralph Steinman: Dead Scientist Wins Nobel Prize

by NowPublic Staff | October 3, 2011 at 01:36 pm

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Ralph Steinman Wins Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine

Canadian immunologist Ralph Steinman won a Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine for his work in identifying white blood cells' role in the adaptive immune system of the human body.

Ralph Steinman is Also Dead

However, Ralph Steinman died on September 30 at age 68 after a long battle with pancreatic cancer. There was some controversy over what would happen to Steinman's Nobel Prize. On one hand, the rules state that you have to be alive in order to win a Nobel Prize. However, the rules also state that, should someone already awarded a prize die before he or she can receive it, the award can still stand.

In any event, the Nobel Foundation is standing by its decision, and awarding the Nobel Prize to Ralph Steinman anyway.

Ralph Steinman was working with the intention of prolonging his own life.

However, the decision to award the Nobel Prize to Ralph Steinman was made in good faith, based on the assumption that the Nobel Laureate was alive. This was true – though not at the time of the decision – only a day or so previously.