The 2025 Nobel Prize in Medicine has been awarded to Mary E. Brunkow and Fred Ramsdell of the United States, alongside Shimon Sakaguchi of Japan, for their groundbreaking work on how the immune system is controlled to prevent autoimmune diseases.
According to the Nobel jury, the trio’s discoveries on peripheral immune tolerance have been decisive in understanding why people do not all develop serious autoimmune disorders. Their research has opened new frontiers in medicine, laying the foundation for cancer therapies, autoimmune disease treatments, and more successful organ transplants.
Pioneering Discoveries
- In 1995, Sakaguchi discovered a new class of immune cells that shield the body from autoimmune attacks, challenging the long-held belief that immune tolerance was only developed in the thymus.
- In 2001, Brunkow and Ramsdell uncovered the Foxp3 gene mutation in mice, proving that defects in this gene can trigger severe autoimmune conditions. They later confirmed that similar mutations in humans lead to IPEX syndrome.
- By 2003, Sakaguchi linked these findings together, establishing a new research pathway that has since influenced global immunology.
The laureates will each receive a diploma, a gold medal, and $1.2 million at a ceremony on December 10, 2025, in Stockholm, commemorating Alfred Nobel’s death anniversary.
US Research Role Under Threat
The announcement comes as concerns grow over massive US science budget cuts under President Donald Trump. Since January, the NIH has cancelled over 2,100 research grants worth $9.5 billion and $2.6 billion in contracts, sparking fears of long-term setbacks for global scientific progress.
Thomas Perlmann, Secretary General of the Nobel Prize Committee, warned:
“The United States has been the very engine of global research. Large cutbacks could cause irreversible harm.”
Trump, who has often voiced his desire to win a Nobel Peace Prize, faces skepticism from Nobel experts. Historian Oeivind Stenersen argued that Trump’s “America First” stance directly opposes the ideals of the Nobel foundation.
Other Nobel Contenders
Meanwhile, the Nobel Peace Prize shortlist reportedly includes Sudan’s Emergency Response Rooms, media watchdogs like CPJ and RSF, and Yulia Navalnaya, widow of Russian opposition figure Alexei Navalny.
The Nobel season continues this week, with Physics (Tuesday), Chemistry (Wednesday), Literature (Thursday), Peace (Friday), and Economics (October 13).
#NobelPrize #Medicine #MaryBrunkow #FredRamsdell #ShimonSakaguchi #ImmuneResearch #AutoimmuneDiseases #MedicalBreakthrough #ScienceNews #Trump
