In 1988 werd hij ontving hij de nobelprijs voor de bestudering van de medicijnen voor lijders aan maag- en hartklachten

Black's approach in his drug research was to analyse the workings of the body in great detail and then to design drugs on the basis of that knowledge. It led to the highly successful Inderal for heart disease and high blood pressure, and  Tagamet for stomach ulcers.

Black shares the Prize with two Americans, Gertrude Elion and George Hitchings, who pioneered the development of some important anti-cancer drugs.