Three Win Nobel in Medicine for Immune Tolerance Discoveries
Mary E. Brunkow, Fred Ramsdell, and Dr. Shimon Sakaguchi have been awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. The trio won for their groundbreaking discoveries concerning peripheral immune tolerance.
In 2001, Brunkow and Ramsdell discovered a mutation in the Foxp3 gene. This gene plays a crucial role in the development and function of regulatory T cells (T-regs).
Dr. Shimon Sakaguchi, then at Osaka University, independently discovered T-regs in 1995. He later linked the Foxp3 gene to their development in 2003. Together, their work revealed an additional way the body keeps the immune system in balance.
Brunkow initially dismissed a call from the Nobel committee as spam. She later confirmed the news, expressing surprise and gratitude for the recognition.
The Nobel winners will share the prize money of 11 million Swedish kronor (nearly $1.2 million). Brunkow is a senior program manager at the Institute for Systems Biology, while Ramsdell serves as a scientific adviser for Sonoma Biotherapeutics. Sakaguchi remains a distinguished professor at Osaka University. Their discoveries have significantly advanced our understanding of immune regulation and may lead to new treatments for autoimmune diseases.
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