Scientist From Brooklyn Wins Nobel Prize In Medicine

BROOKLYN, NY — Brooklyn has produced more than its fair share of notable figures — from Sen. Bernie Sanders to Biggie Smalls — and on Monday, one more high-achiever from the borough can add another boast to his resume: the Nobel Prize in medicine for his work on the biological clock.

Jeffrey Hall, who was born in Brooklyn, wryly noted that he was already awake when he received the call from Sweden about his Nobel Prize because of changes in his circadian rhythm as he has grown older.

Speaking from his home in rural Cambridge, Maine, he says "I said 'Is this a prank?' I didn't really believe it. I didn't expect it." (For more local news, subscribe for free to the Brooklyn Patch and receive daily newsletters and breaking news alerts.)

Hall, 72, won the Nobel on Monday with fellow Americans Michael Rosbash and Michael W. Young for their discoveries about the body's daily rhythms.

Hall said scientists have known about circadian rhythms since the 1700s. He said understanding the mechanics of the circadian rhythm can provide researchers with an opportunity to address circadian rhythm disorders that contribute to sleep problems.

He says "If you understand how the normal process works, that gives you a chance, not an inevitability, but a chance to influence the internal workings of the clock and possibly to improve a patient's well-being."

Photo: Jeffrey Hall is on the left. Credit: The Chinese University of Hong Kong via AP