EU-funded scientist wins the 2022 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine

The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for 2022 has been awarded to Svante Pääbo for ‘his discoveries concerning the genomes of extinct hominins and human evolution’. He is considered one of the founders of paleogenomics and has been substantially funded by the EU through the European Research Council (ERC) for over a decade.

Mariya Gabriel, Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth said:
“Congratulations to Svante Pääbo on winning the Nobel Prize today! I’m proud that the EU has supported this stellar scientist for a decade through the European Research Council. It shows us again how important it is to trust and invest in the brightest minds and their research.”

Svante Pääbo was awarded his first ERC Advanced Grant in 2008 to investigate the genomic and phenotypic evolution of bonobos, chimpanzees and humans. In 2015, he won another ERC Advanced Grant to study genome sequences from extinct hominins. The latter project integrates new approaches in molecular biology, physical anthropology and bioinformatics to perform genetic research into populations over an exceptional timespan and geographical area. The overall aim is to explain the history of the Neanderthal population and other ancient groups, and to advance understanding of early human evolution, ranging from anecdotal observations to a more population based view of human ancestry. Svante Pääbo also participated in a project funded by the 6th EU Research Framework Programme (FP6) on molecular evolution of human cognition.

Svante Pääbo is director of the Department of Genetics at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig, Germany.

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