Ardem Pataputyan and David Julius received the Nobel Prize in Medicine for 2021

"The founding discoveries of this year's Nobel laureates have helped explain how heat, cold and touch can initiate signals in our nervous system. The detected ion channels are important for many physiological processes and disease states", - the jury explained their decision.

Pataputian, 54, who works at the Californian Scripps Institute in La Jolla, recruited pressure-sensitive cells and discovered a new class of receptors (TRPM8) that are activated by low temperatures. His colleague, 65-year-old Julius, a professor at the University of California at San Francisco, using capsaicin (a substance contained in red pepper and responsible for its burning taste), back in the 1990s, discovered the TRPV1 receptor in the nerve endings of the skin, which reacts to heat.

Scientists became the first laureates of this year's award. By October 7, the winners of the "Nobel Prize" in physics, chemistry and literature will be known. October 8 - Winners of the Peace Prize. On October 11, the name of the winner of the Schwedish National Bank Prize in Economics named after Alfred Nobel.

Recall that the Nobel Prize 2021 provides for a reward of 10 million Swedish kronor - about $ 1.1 million. Due to pandemic restrictions, the laureates will receive the prize in the countries in which they live.