Stockholm – This year’s Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine has been awarded to Mary Brunkow, Fred Ramsdell and Shimon Sakaguchi for their groundbreaking discoveries concerning peripheral immune tolerance. The Karolinska Institute announced the award on Monday in Stockholm, recognizing the profound impact of their work on understanding and potentially treating a range of serious diseases.
The Nobel committee emphasized that the researchers’ findings have been instrumental in advancing medical treatments for cancer and autoimmune disorders and have the possibility to improve transplant success rates. “Their discoveries have fundamentally advanced our understanding of how the immune system functions and, crucially, why most individuals do not develop severe autoimmune diseases” commented Olle Kämpe, Chair of the Nobel Committee.
Sakaguchi’s pioneering work in 1995 first identified a previously unknown class of immune cells playing a protective role against autoimmunity. Subsequently, Brunkow and Ramsdell, in 2001, identified a genetic mutation within a specific mouse strain, particularly susceptible to autoimmune conditions. They further demonstrated that similar mutations in the human equivalent of this gene are responsible for a severe autoimmune disease, Ipex. Sakaguchi later established the connection between this gene and the development of the cells he initially characterized in 1995.
The announcement marks the traditional commencement of Nobel Week. The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences is expected to announce the Physics prize recipient on Tuesday, followed by the Chemistry prize on Wednesday, the Literature prize on Thursday and the Peace Prize will be announced on Friday in Oslo.
The Nobel Prize is considered the highest distinction within its respective fields, awarded annually on December 10th, Alfred Nobel’s memorial day. The Peace Prize is presented in Oslo, while the remaining prizes are awarded in Stockholm.