Bruce Beutler received the 2010 Professional Achievement Award for his important achievements in medical science. Dr. Beutler’s research on isolating tumor necrosis factor led to his invention of a drug that is now used to treat rheumatoid arthritis. His work also solved a basic scientific problem about how we perceive infections, which led to one of the greatest discoveries in the history of immunology. Overall, his contributions have dramatically improved the practice of medicine in the fields of infectious disease, rheumatology, ophthalmology, dermatology, and gastroenterology. Thomson Reuters named him a “citation laureate” in 2008, predicting that he will soon win a Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine.
