US, Japan scientists win Nobel Prize for breakthroughs in immune system control | The Express Tribune
Key Takeaways
- Mary Brunkow, Fred Ramsdell, and Shimon Sakaguchi won the 2025 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.
- The award recognizes discoveries explaining how the immune system spares healthy cells, focusing on peripheral immune tolerance.
- The research highlighted the critical role of regulatory T cells and the identification of the FOXP3 gene as their marker.
- These findings are expected to pave the way for new treatments for autoimmune diseases and cancer.
- Over 200 human clinical trials are currently underway utilizing insights from regulatory T-cell research.
American scientists Mary Brunkow and Fred Ramsdell, alongside Shimon Sakaguchi of Japan, were awarded the 2025 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for their groundbreaking discoveries explaining how the immune system maintains tolerance to healthy cells. This research illuminates peripheral immune tolerance, showing how regulatory T cellsâidentified by the FOXP3 gene markerâact as crucial 'braking systems' to prevent autoimmunity. Sakaguchi expressed surprise but optimism that their work will lead to cancer becoming a curable disease, a sentiment echoed by Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba during a congratulatory call. The laureates will share 11 million Swedish crowns, and their findings, first published in 2001, are now fueling over 200 ongoing clinical trials targeting inflammatory and autoimmune conditions. Brunkow is affiliated with the Institute for Systems Biology, Ramsdell with Sonoma Biotherapeutics, and Sakaguchi with Osaka University, marking a significant achievement in immunology that kicks off the 2025 Nobel season.
