Since 1945, the Lasker Foundation has been awarding those who help advance the treatment, diagnosis and understanding of human disease. The awards are regarded as predictors for future Nobel Prize winners - 86 Lasker laureates have received the Nobel Prize, including 44 in the last three decades. Not surprisingly, these awards have become commonly known as 'America's Nobels'.
This year there were three awards given, The Basic Medical Research Award, The Clinical Medical Research Award and The Public Service Award.
The Basic Medical Research Award was awarded to geneticists Evelyn Witkin, of Rutgers University, and Stephen Elledge, of the Brigham and Women’s Hospital, for their research into how organisms adapt and survive from DNA damage.
The Clinical Medical Research Award goes to immunologist, James Allison, for his work in developing a treatment to allow the body to use its T cells to attack cancer tumors.
The Public Service Award went to Médecins Sans Frontiers (Doctors Without Borders) for their work dealing with the recent Ebola outbreak in West Africa.
The three videos above are all well worth watching, really inspiring.
Via The Verge