Albert A. Prusiner

Albert A. Prusiner is a Nobel Prize-winning scientist who discovered prions—infectious proteins that can cause brain diseases like mad cow disease. Unlike viruses or bacteria, prions are misfolded forms of normal proteins that can induce other proteins to also misfold, leading to brain damage. His research changed understanding of infectious agents and opened new avenues in biology and medicine. Prusiner's work highlights how abnormal proteins can act as pathogens, challenging traditional views and contributing to advancements in diagnosing and studying neurodegenerative diseases.