E. Donnall Thomas, 70, and Joseph E. Murray, 71, shared the Nobel Prize in medicine or physiology for their work in transplant medicine. Thomas, director emeritus of the Seattle-based Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center's Division of Clinical Research, was cited for his pivotal work on bone marrow transplantation--a treatment often offered as a last hope for patients afflicted with various types of leukemia and other blood-related and genetic disorders. In 1956, Thomas successfully transplanted donor marrow into a human patient. Thomas's Nobel Prize came swiftly on the heels of another highly regarded award: He and six other researchers recently received the 1990 Gairdner Foundation International Awards in recognition of their contributions to medical science (see People, page 25 of this issue).
Murray, professor of surgery, emeritus, at Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, was recognized by the Nobel committee for his pioneering work in transplant medicine. ...
