December 2021 Auction Ends Thursday, December 9th, 5pm Pacific
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 12/9/2021
Outstanding Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, awarded to E. Donnall Thomas for his use of bone marrow transplants to treat leukemia and other blood cancers. Awarded the Nobel Prize in 1990, Thomas first published his theory on BMT treatments in ''The New England Journal of Medicine'' in 1957, and then worked methodically throughout the 1960s and 70s to turn the theory into a clinical treatment, despite it being dismissed at the time as implausible and experimental. In the latter half of the 20th century, the treatment slowly gained acceptance, with approximately 60,000 transplants now occurring each year, bringing the survival rate for some cancers from zero to near 90%. Bone marrow transplants are now considered one of the greatest success stories in cancer treatment.
Most of Thomas' career was spent at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, Washington, where its former president and director, Dr. Lawrence Corey, said of him, ''To the world, Don Thomas will forever be known as the father of bone marrow transplantation, but to his colleagues at Fred Hutch he will be remembered as a friend, colleague, mentor and pioneer. The work Don Thomas did to establish marrow transplantation as a successful treatment for leukemia and other otherwise fatal diseases of the blood is responsible for saving the lives of hundreds of thousands of people around the globe.'' Thomas performed much of his research alongside his wife, Dottie Thomas, a hematology technician and administrator.
Nobel Prize is made of 18kt gold, plated in 24kt gold, consistent with the 1990 medals. Medal features the relief portrait of Alfred Nobel to front, with his name and the years of his birth and death. Verso features a relief of a woman representing the Genius of Medicine, holding a book in her lap, as she collects water to nourish a girl. Encircling the medal are the words ''INVENTAS VITAM JUVAT EXCOLUISSE PER ARTES'', which translates from Latin to ''The benefits of improved life through discovered arts''. Thomas' name and 1990 in Roman numerals are engraved on a plaque framed by the words ''REG UNIVERSITAS MED-CHIR CAROL'', representing the Karolinska Institute that awards the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. Etched upon the medal is the name of Erik Lindberg, designer of the Nobel medal. Medal weighs 173 grams or just over 6 oz. and measures 2.5'' in diameter. Minor soiling to reverse, overall in near fine condition. With an LOA from the Thomas family.
A portion of the proceeds will be donated to the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center.
Nobel Prize Awarded to the Scientist Who Developed Bone Marrow Transplants as a Treatment for Leukemia and Other Blood Cancers
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