Damon Mcknight
Since 1915, fifteen Australians have been awarded the Nobel Prize, with almost half of these prizes (eight) being awarded in the field of physiology or medicine. The first Australian to win a Nobel Prize was novelist Patrick White, who won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1973. Other notable Australian winners include Professor Brian Schmidt, who became the first Australian to win the Nobel Prize in Physics, and Dr. Elizabeth Blackburn, who was the first female Australian Laureate and won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for her contributions to the field of molecular biology.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of Australians awarded the Nobel Prize | 15 |
| Number of Nobel Prizes awarded in the field of Physiology or Medicine | 8 |
| First female Laureate from Australia | Dr. Elizabeth Blackburn |
| Year of first female Laureate from Australia | 2004 |
| Year of the first Nobel Prize won by an Australian | 1973 |
| Field of the first Nobel Prize won by an Australian | Literature |
| Winner of the first Nobel Prize from Australia | Patrick Victor Martindale White |
| Year Australia won its first Nobel Prize in Physics | 2004 |
| Winner of the first Nobel Prize in Physics from Australia | Prof Brian Schmidt |
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What You'll Learn
Australian Nobel Prize winners in the field of science
Australia has produced several Nobel Prize winners in the field of science. Since 1915, there have been fifteen Australians awarded the Nobel Prize, eight of whom have been awarded in the field of Physiology or Medicine.
One of Australia's most eminent scientists was Sir Frank Macfarlane Burnet, who won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. He specialised in microbiology and immunology and won the prize for his work in immunology, specifically for demonstrating acquired immune tolerance and developing the theory of clonal selection. He also played a vital role in increasing our understanding of the flu virus.
Another Australian Nobel Prize winner in the field of Physiology or Medicine is Dr. Elizabeth Blackburn, who became Australia's first female Laureate when she won the prize for her contributions to the field of molecular biology. She discovered how chromosomes are protected by telomeres and the enzyme telomerase.
Professor John Warcup Cornforth won the Nobel Prize for his work in unravelling how enzymes create cholesterol in the body, which has contributed to the development of treatments for heart disease.
Professor Brian Schmidt, who technically holds American citizenship, won Australia's first Nobel Prize in Physics for his discovery that the expansion of the universe is speeding up.
Sir John Carew Eccles was jointly awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for revealing the basic processes behind nerve cell communication, which controls sensations, feelings, thoughts, and motor and emotional responses.
In addition to these winners, Australia also boasts the youngest winner of a Nobel Prize in science.
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Australian Nobel Prize winners in literature
Patrick White
Patrick White is the only Australian writer to have won the Nobel Prize in Literature, receiving the award in 1973. White was recognised "for an epic and psychological narrative art which has introduced a new continent into literature", according to the Swedish Academy's citation.
White's work explores some of humankind's great existential questions in a distinctively Australian setting. His novels include Voss (1957), Riders in the Chariot (1961), The Solid Mandala (1966), The Vivisector (1970), and The Eye of the Storm.
White's win was a watershed moment of international recognition for Australian literature, and he is considered a novelist of world stature. With the prize money, he established the annual Patrick White Award, which recognises writers who have made significant contributions to Australian literature.
Australian Winners in Other Categories
While Patrick White is the only Australian literature laureate, several other Australians have won Nobel Prizes in other categories. Since 1915, there have been fifteen Australians awarded the Nobel Prize, with almost half of these prizes (eight) awarded in the field of Physiology or Medicine.
In 2017, the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons, which was launched in Australia, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
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Australian Nobel Peace Prize winners
Since 1915, 15 Australians have been awarded the Nobel Prize. However, only one Australian has won the Nobel Peace Prize. The International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2017. ICAN was launched in Melbourne in 2007 "for its work to draw attention to the catastrophic humanitarian consequences of any use of nuclear weapons and for its ground-breaking efforts to achieve a treaty-based prohibition of such weapons".
While not an Australian citizen, Australian-educated British physicist William Henry Bragg and his son, William Lawrence Bragg, shared the 1915 Nobel Prize for Physics. They are the only father-son team to win a Nobel Prize.
The first and only Australian writer to be awarded a Nobel Prize for Literature was Patrick White in 1973. He was awarded the prize "for an epic and psychological narrative art which has introduced a new continent into literature". He did not attend the Nobel Prize ceremony in Sweden, sending his friend, the artist Sidney Nolan, to collect the prize. However, he did attend the Australia Day lunch in Melbourne, where he was presented with his Australian of the Year Award.
The only Australian woman to win a Nobel Prize is Professor Elizabeth Blackburn, who won the prize for Medicine in 2009.
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Australian female Nobel Prize winners
Since 1915, a total of 15 Australians have been awarded the Nobel Prize, with almost half of these prizes (eight) awarded in the field of physiology or medicine. One of these recipients is Professor Elizabeth Blackburn, who became the first Australian woman to win a Nobel Prize in 2009.
Professor Blackburn, alongside her US-based colleagues Professor Carol Greider and Professor Jack Szostak, was awarded the 100th Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. They received the prize for their groundbreaking work on chromosomes and the discovery of the enzyme telomerase, which protects them. This discovery has been described as creating an entirely new field of science and has had a significant impact on the understanding of cellular division and ageing.
Elizabeth Blackburn's work has been particularly notable in the field of molecular biology. By adding telomerase to cells that do not naturally produce this enzyme, scientists observed a bypass of the limit of cellular ageing, linking the enzyme to reduced cellular ageing. Furthermore, studies have shown that the addition of telomerase and its presence in cancer cells provide an immunity mechanism, promoting cellular growth and reducing sensitivity to cellular signalling.
Blackburn's achievement is especially significant as it highlights the talent and potential of women in scientific fields. In an interview following her award, Blackburn expressed her hope that the recognition she received would encourage more women to pursue and thrive in their scientific careers.
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Australian Nobel Prize winners in medicine
Since 1915, fifteen Australians have been awarded the Nobel Prize. Eight of these prizes have been in the field of medicine—also known as physiology or medicine.
In 1945, Lord Howard Florey shared the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine with his colleague Ernst B. Chain and Alexander Fleming. They discovered penicillin and its curative effects in treating various infectious diseases.
In 1963, Sir John Eccles shared the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine with Alan L. Hodgkin and Andrew F. Huxley. They made discoveries concerning the ionic mechanisms involved in excitation and inhibition in the peripheral and central portions of the nerve cell membrane. Their research concerned the basic processes that cause electrical impulses, controlling nerves and muscular movement.
In 1996, Peter Doherty shared the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine with his ANU colleague Rolf Zinkernagel. They carried out revolutionary work in immunology together at the John Curtin School of Medical Research. They discovered how the immune system recognises virus-infected cells.
In 2005, Barry J. Marshall and Robin Warren won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. They discovered that bacteria, not stress, was the main cause of painful ulcers in the stomach and intestine. Their discovery transformed peptic ulcer disease from a chronic, frequently disabling condition to one that can be cured by a short course of antibiotics and other medicines.
Other Australian Nobel Prize winners in Physiology or Medicine include Sir Frank Macfarlane Burnet (1960), Professor Joshua Lederberg (1958), and Professor Bert Sakmann (1991).
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, since 1915, there have been fifteen Australians awarded the Nobel Prize.
Almost half of the prizes (eight) have been awarded in the field of Physiology or Medicine. Others have been awarded for Physics, Literature, and Peace.
The 1973 Nobel Literature Prize was awarded to Patrick White "for an epic and psychological narrative art which has introduced a new continent into literature". The 2017 Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons, which was launched in Melbourne, Australia, in 2007.
Although less than 1% of the educated populace was aware, Australia has a very high per capita ratio of prizes.
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