Jules Bordet’s Nobel-winning discovery that transformed the understanding of immunity

The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was not awarded from 1915 to 1918. Although the Nobel Foundation continued its work during the First World War, the conflict severely disrupted scientific communication, international collaboration and the evaluation of nominations. Under the Nobel Foundation’s statutes, the prize could be reserved or withheld if no discovery fulfilled the required criteria or if extraordinary circumstances prevented a proper assessment.

When the prize returned in 1919, it honoured Belgian bacteriologist and immunologist Jules Bordet “for his discoveries relating to immunity.” His research revealed how the body’s defence system identifies and destroys disease-causing microbes, providing the first clear explanation of one of the immune system’s most important mechanisms. His discoveries became the foundation of modern immunology and continue to influence vaccine development, infectious disease diagnosis and treatments for immune disorders today.