Nobel Prize in Medicine Awarded to Three Pioneering Immunologists

The Nobel Prize in Medicine has been awarded this year to Mary Brunkow and Fred Ramsdell from the United States, alongside Shimon Sakaguchi from Japan, for their groundbreaking discoveries in the field of peripheral immune tolerance. This vital research plays an essential role in preventing the immune system from harming the body, as announced today by the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm.

This prestigious accolade, which comes with a cash prize of 11 million Swedish kronor (approximately one million euros), highlights the significant contributions made by these scientists in establishing new avenues for research and the advancement of treatment methodologies for conditions such as cancer and autoimmune diseases.

Their work specifically focuses on mechanisms that protect the body from immune system attacks. The recipients have successfully identified critical safety mechanisms within the immune system, particularly regulatory T cells, which serve to prevent immune cells from attacking the body's own tissues. Olle Kämpe, chair of the Nobel Committee, noted that these discoveries enhance our understanding of immune system functionality and the reasons why not everyone develops serious autoimmune conditions.

Shimon Sakaguchi, aged 74, completed his doctorate in 1983 at Kyoto University and currently holds a professorship at Osaka University. Mary Brunkow, born in 1961, received her Ph.D. from Princeton University and is affiliated with the Institute for Systems Biology in Seattle, USA. Fred Ramsdell, 64, hails from Illinois and earned his doctorate at the University of California, Los Angeles. He currently serves as a scientific advisor at Sonoma Biotherapeutics in San Francisco.

The Nobel Committee reached Sakaguchi at his laboratory, where he expressed his overwhelming gratitude for the recognition, describing it as a fantastic honor. The two American researchers did not answer their phones at such an early hour, and the committee left messages on their voicemail.

Since the inception of the Nobel Prize in 1901, a total of 229 individuals have been honored with the Nobel Prize in Medicine, including just 13 women. The first award was presented to German bacteriologist Emil Adolf von Behring for his discovery of a therapy against diphtheria. This year's announcement marks the beginning of the Nobel Prize season, with the names of the laureates in Physics and Chemistry set to be revealed on the following Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively. The announcements will continue with those for Literature and Peace, culminating on the subsequent Monday with the award from the Swedish Central Bank for Economic Sciences.

The formal ceremony for the presentation of all awards is traditionally held on December 10, the anniversary of the death of Alfred Nobel (1833-1896), the founder of the prizes. Additionally, the recipients of this year's Right Livelihood Awards, often referred to as the Alternative Nobel Prize, were announced on October 1 in Stockholm.