Three scientists received the 2025 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine on Monday for discovering how the immune system regulates itself. The Nobel Assembly at Karolinska Institutet awarded Mary E. Brunkow and Fred Ramsdell of the United States, and Shimon Sakaguchi of Japan, for their work on peripheral immune tolerance. The researchers identified regulatory T cells that prevent the immune system from attacking healthy tissue.
Their findings established the field of peripheral tolerance and enabled the development of treatments for cancer, autoimmune diseases, and organ transplants. Several therapies based on their research are undergoing clinical trials. The laureates will share the prize money of 11 million Swedish kronor equally.
Brunkow serves as Senior Programme Manager at the Institute for Systems Biology in Seattle. Ramsdell works as a Scientific Advisor at Sonoma Biotherapeutics in San Francisco. Sakaguchi holds the position of Distinguished Professor at the Immunology Frontier Research Center at Osaka University.
Their findings established the field of peripheral tolerance and enabled the development of treatments for cancer, autoimmune diseases, and organ transplants. Several therapies based on their research are undergoing clinical trials. The laureates will share the prize money of 11 million Swedish kronor equally.
Brunkow serves as Senior Programme Manager at the Institute for Systems Biology in Seattle. Ramsdell works as a Scientific Advisor at Sonoma Biotherapeutics in San Francisco. Sakaguchi holds the position of Distinguished Professor at the Immunology Frontier Research Center at Osaka University.
