Top People of 2011

The Scientist recounts the year’s top science prize winners and top-notch scientists that passed away.

Written byJef Akst

| 6 min read

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The last 12 months of scientific achievement are reflected in the researchers that made significant contributions to their fields. Here, The Scientist reviews some of the most popular scientists in this year’s headlines, recognized with prestigious scientific awards or remembered upon their passing.

Top Science Awards of 2011:

Nobel Drama

Three immunologist shared this year’s Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine—Jules Hoffmann of the University of Strasbourg in France, Bruce Beutler of Scripps Research Institute in California, and Ralph Steinman of The Rockefeller University in New York. Hoffmann and Beutler shared half of the award for their discovery that the Drosophila Toll gene regulates the fly's immune response against bacteria and fungi, while Steinman took the other half of the award for first describing the immune system’s dendritic cells and their role in activating and regulating adaptive immunity.

Sadly, Steinman passed away from pancreatic cancer in September, just three days ...

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Meet the Author

Jef Akst
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Jef (an unusual nickname for Jennifer) got her master’s degree from Indiana University in April 2009 studying the mating behavior of seahorses. After four years of diving off the Gulf Coast of Tampa and performing behavioral experiments at the Tennessee Aquarium in Chattanooga, she left research to pursue a career in science writing. As The Scientist's managing editor, Jef edited features and oversaw the production of the TS Digest and quarterly print magazine. In 2022, her feature on uterus transplantation earned first place in the trade category of the Awards for Excellence in Health Care Journalism. She is a member of the National Association of Science Writers.
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