Nobel Prize 2025: Scientists Crack Immune System’s Secret to Self-Protection
RNS: The 2025 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine has been awarded to Mary E. Brunkow, Fred Ramsdell, and Shimon Sakaguchi for their groundbreaking discoveries in immunology. Their work revealed how the body prevents its own immune system from attacking itself.
The trio identified regulatory T cells—immune “security guards” that keep the body safe from autoimmune attacks. Their discoveries launched the field of peripheral tolerance, opening doors to new treatments for cancer, autoimmune diseases, and organ transplantation.
Shimon Sakaguchi made the first breakthrough in 1995, showing that immune tolerance isn’t just about eliminating dangerous cells in the thymus. He discovered a new class of immune cells that protect the body from self-attack.
In 2001, Brunkow and Ramsdell explained why certain mice were prone to autoimmune diseases. They discovered a gene, Foxp3, whose mutation caused severe immune disorders. Sakaguchi later linked this gene to the regulatory T cells he had identified, completing the puzzle.
“Their work has revolutionized our understanding of the immune system and why not all of us develop autoimmune diseases,” said Olle Kämpe, chair of the Nobel Committee.
These breakthroughs are already driving the development of cutting-edge therapies, some of which are undergoing clinical trials, promising a new era in immune-related medicine.
