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This collection of research, review and comment from Nature Research celebrates the 2020 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine awarded to Harvey J. Alter, Michael Houghton and Charles M. Rice "for the discovery of hepatitis C virus". Chronic viral hepatitis is a global health concern and is a major cause of cirrhosis and liver cancer. Work by the prize-winning scientists demonstrated that an unknown virus was the cause of unexplained cases of chronic hepatitis, isolated the viral genetic sequence that led to its identification as hepatitis C virus and provided the final proof that this virus alone could cause hepatitis. This work led to blood tests that improved global health and antiviral drugs that mean the disease can now be cured and perhaps one day eradicated.