Nobel Prize in Medicine Honors Immunologists' Autoimmune Disease Breakthroughs
The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine has been awarded to immunologists Mary Brunkow, Fred Ramsdell, and Shimon Sakaguchi. Their groundbreaking discoveries in peripheral immune tolerance have revolutionised treatments for autoimmune diseases and organ transplants.
The trio's work has driven the development of new treatment methods for conditions like rheumatoid arthritis and type 1 diabetes. Shimon Sakaguchi identified regulatory T-cells (Tregs) in the 1990s, which play a crucial role in controlling autoimmune diseases. Mary Brunkow and Fred Ramsdell discovered the Foxp3 gene, which serves as a central switch for Treg function. Mutations in Foxp3 cause immune control to collapse, leading to severe autoimmune diseases like IPEX syndrome. Their research has provided vital insights into how the immune system is controlled and prevented from attacking the body. In cancer immunotherapy, Tregs are opening new possibilities by potentially strengthening the immune response against tumors.
The Nobel laureates were announced on the first Monday in October at 11:30 AM at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm. The prizes will be awarded on December 10, Alfred Nobel's deathday, in Stockholm, with the Nobel Peace Prize awarded in Oslo, Norway. This year's Nobel Prize in Medicine recognises the transformative impact of these immunologists' discoveries on human health.
