生命科學與醫學獎
2011

世界充滿可致命的微生物，人類得以生存，免疫系統的作用至為關鍵。這個系統有兩個主要部分：其一是為人熟知的「適應性」免疫系統，由人體曾經所受的感染或有效的疫苗啟動，人體再受相同的微生物入侵時，系統即起作用。另一種是先天性免疫系統，在進化過程中歷史早得多，但較為無聞。人體受到感染即馬上起作用，出現發炎反應。兩個系統對人類的生存都舉足輕重。嬰兒初生時若欠缺有效的適應性免疫系統，例如患有嚴重複合性免疫缺乏症，必須採取非常步驟，如進行骨髓移植手術，方可生存。欠缺正常運作的先天性免疫系統也可致命，先天性免疫系統主要部分發生突變的患者會反復出現嚴重感染，即是一例。

三位科學家獲得2011年度邵逸夫生命科學與醫學獎：法國斯特拉斯堡大學教授朱爾斯・霍夫曼(Jules A Hoffman)、耶魯大學大衛・華萊士免疫學講座教授魯斯蘭・麥哲托夫(Ruslan M Medzhitov)和斯克利普斯研究院遺傳學學系主任布魯斯・比尤特勒 (Bruce A Beutler)。三位科學家的開創性研究確定了先天性免疫系統的機制，也為其他人大量的研究工作打開局面，取得進展之大固不待言，而且可以預期研究成果將可應用，將有助提高免疫系統的整體機能。

The immune system is central to the survival of humans in a world filled with potentially deadly microbes.  Immunity has two major components: (i) the familiar “adaptive” immune system, mobilized by previous infections or vaccines to protect us against subsequent encounters with specific microbes, and (ii) the less well-known, innate immune system, which is immediately mobilized in response to infection through inflammatory responses.  Both systems are essential for human survival.  Infants born without a functioning adaptive immune system, such as those with “severe combined immunodeficiency”, require heroic measures, such as bone marrow transplantation, if they are to survive.  But the lack of a normally functioning innate immune system is also life-threatening, as is seen in the repetitive severe infections in those with mutations in key components of the innate immune system.

The 2011 Shaw Prize in Life Science and Medicine is awarded to Jules Hoffmann, Professor at the University of Strasbourg, Ruslan Medzhitov, David W. Wallace Professor of Immunobiology at Yale University, and Bruce Beutler, Professor of Immunology, University of Texas, Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas.   These three scientists have done path-breaking work that established the mechanisms of the innate system and provide new avenues for drug design to improve the overall function of the immune system.