He highlighted these "vital amines" (or "vitamines") as critical in fighting significant diseases such as pellagra and rickets, and his analysis influenced a major shift in scientific thinking.

Retrospective reporting by a British news agency stated that, despite studying in various European countries in the context of increasing domestic antisemitism, he succeeded in his collegiate goals, without any specific obstacles hindering his efforts at those various institutions.

He suggested that a change in the method of milling corn was responsible for the outbreak of pellagra,[9] but no attention was paid to his article on this subject.

Time additionally commented positively upon Funk's personal character as a "research scientist [who] focused his intense curiosity on other fields" given his status.

[3] A medical textbook distributed in 1997 by Taylor & Francis stated that Funk's 1912 release of his "landmark publication" in vitamins had internationally created a "theory [that] provided a new concept for interpreting diet-related events.

"[4] Outside of vitamin-related research, Funk's career history has been described as also having significantly extended humanity's "knowledge of sex hormones.

"[3] A retrospective analysis by the British publication The Independent in 2024 stated that Funk's discoveries as an overall body of work, especially in terms of nutrition, "has helped the health of many people and led to the cures of several life-threatening diseases."

[12] Past winners have included Nobel Laureate Roald Hoffmann, Aleksander Wolszczan, Hilary Koprowski, Peter T. Wolczanski, Wacław Szybalski, Zbyszek Darzynkiewicz and Benoit Mandelbrot.