Nobel Prize Awarded for Groundbreaking Research on Immune System

The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine has been awarded to three researchers: Mary E. Brunkow and Fred Ramsdell from the United States, and Shimon Sakaguchi from Japan. Their pioneering work has significantly advanced the understanding of how a specific type of T-cell regulates the immune system.

Professor Olle Kämpe, chair of the Nobel Committee, noted that their discoveries have been critical in elucidating the functioning of the immune system and understanding the reasons behind the lack of severe autoimmune diseases in all individuals. The specific T-cells, known as regulatory T-cells, play a crucial role in managing immune responses and eliminating cells that attack the body's own tissues.

While the Nobel Prize recognizes fundamental research and the underlying principles discovered, Kämpe emphasized that ongoing studies are building upon these findings. Many of these studies have yielded negative results, but numerous others are in early stages and show promising potential.

According to the Nobel Committee at Karolinska Institute, there are currently over 200 clinical trials underway. These studies aim to improve transplantation outcomes and develop new treatments for autoimmune diseases in the future.

Professor Thomas Perlmann, secretary of the Nobel Committee for Physiology or Medicine, shared that he only managed to reach Shimon Sakaguchi on the morning of the award announcement. Sakaguchi expressed immense gratitude and honor upon receiving the news. Efforts to contact Brunkow and Ramsdell were still ongoing at the time of the announcement.

The three Nobel laureates have made significant contributions to the field of immunology. Fred Ramsdell, 64, is affiliated with Sonoma Biotherapeutics in San Francisco. Shimon Sakaguchi, 71, works at Osaka University in Japan, while Mary Brunkow, born in 1961, is associated with the Institute for Systems Biology in Seattle.

Sakaguchi's pivotal discovery dates back to 1995 when he identified an unknown class of immune cells that protect the body from autoimmune diseases. In 2001, Brunkow and Ramsdell followed up this finding by explaining why certain mouse strains develop autoimmune diseases, linking it to a mutation in a gene they named Foxp3. They also found that mutations in the human counterpart of Foxp3 lead to the severe autoimmune condition known as IPEX.