Nobel Prize
Nobel laureates from UNIL
UNIL's latest Nobel laureate is Jacques Dubochet, winner of the 2017 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. His research at the University of Lausanne, assisted by his team, led to the discovery of the vitrification of water. In other words, water is cooled so quickly that it freezes without having time to crystallise. Its contents – cells, viruses, proteins, etc. – remain intact, having not undergone the dilation of the ice (a bit like suddenly stopping the film of life).
A total of six winners of the prestigious prize have spent all or part of their studies and/or careers at UNIL.
Jacques Dubochet
Nobel Prize for Chemistry in 2017, jointly with Joachim Frank (Columbia University, USA) and Richard Henderson (Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, England)
For developing cryo-electron microscopy for the high-resolution structure determination of biomolecules in solution.
Jacques Dubochet, honorary professor at the University of Lausanne since 2007, taught between 1987 and 2007 at the Laboratory of Ultrastructural Analysis at UNIL and directed the Centre for Electron Microscopy.
Ahmed H. Zewail
Winner of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1999
For his studies of the transition states of chemical reactions using femtosecond spectroscopy.
Ahmed H. Zewail collaborated with the Institute of Physics of Condensed Matter at the University of Lausanne on problems of ultrafast energy redistribution in condensed-phase chemical media in 2000.
Rolf Zinkernagel
Winner of the Nobel Prize in Medicine jointly with Peter C. Doherty in 1996
For discovering how the cells of the immune system recognise a virus that is attacking the body.
Rolf M. Zinkernagel worked from 1970 to 1973 in the Institute of Biochemistry at UNIL under the direction of Professor Isliker.
Walter Rudolph Hess
Winner of the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 1949
For discovering the functional organisation of the mucous membrane, enabling it to coordinate the activities of the internal organs.
Walter Hess studied medicine at the University of Lausanne.
Corneille Jean François Heymans
Winner of the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 1938
For the discovery of the role played by the sinus and the aortic mechanism in the regulation of respiration.
Corneille Heymans worked at the University of Lausanne under the direction of Professor Arthus.
Hans Fischer
Winner of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1930
For his research into the constitution of hydrogen and chlorophyll, and more specifically for his synthesis of hydrogen.
Hans Fischer studied chemistry and medicine at the University of Lausanne.