Pioneer Who First Sequenced, the Neanderthal Genome, Awarded Nobel Prize.br CNN reports that Swedish geneticist Svante Pääbo br is being awarded the Nobel Prize for medicine br for his groundbreaking work with ancient DNA.br CNN reports that Swedish geneticist Svante Pääbo br is being awarded the Nobel Prize for medicine br for his groundbreaking work with ancient DNA.br On October 3, the Nobel Committee said that Pääbo “accomplished something seemingly impossible” by sequencing the first Neanderthal genome. .br On October 3, the Nobel Committee said that Pääbo “accomplished something seemingly impossible” by sequencing the first Neanderthal genome. .br Pääbo pioneered methods to sequencebr ancient DNA from Neanderthal bones. .br His work was first made public in 2010.br As a result of his discovery, scientists have been able to compare Neanderthal genomes with the genetic records of modern humans.br Pääbo’s seminal research gave br rise to an entirely new scientific br discipline; paleogenomics, Nobel Prize committee, via CNN.br By revealing genetic differences br that distinguish all living humans br from extinct hominins, his discoveries br provide the basis for exploring br what makes us uniquely human, Nobel Prize committee, via CNN.br Pääbo discovered that most br modern humans share 1 to 4 br of their DNA with Neanderthals. .br Thanks to his work, we now know that br Neanderthals and Homo sapiens interbred before br the Neanderthals went extinct around 40,000 years ago.br His major contribution is being br a pioneer in recovering ancient DNA br and that has been extremely important br in the study of human evolution, Chris Stringer, Research lead in human evolution at, via CNN.br In his subsequent work, br Pääbo discovered an entirely new kind br of extinct human, called Denisovans.