2025 Nobel Prize in Medicine: Breakthroughs in Peripheral Immune Tolerance Lead to New Cancer and Autoimmune Disease Treatments

The 2025 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine has been awarded to scientists Mary Brunkow, Fred Ramsdell, and Shimon Sakaguchi for their groundbreaking "discoveries concerning peripheral immune tolerance," the Nobel Assembly announced on Monday.

Selected by the Nobel Assembly of Sweden's Karolinska Institute medical university, the laureates will receive a prize of 11 million Swedish crowns (approximately $1.2 million) along with a gold medal presented by the King of Sweden.

The Nobel Assembly highlighted that "their discoveries have laid the foundation for a new field of research and spurred the development of new treatments, for example for cancer and autoimmune diseases."

The Nobel Prizes were established through Alfred Nobel's will, the Swedish inventor of dynamite and successful businessman. Since 1901, these prestigious awards have recognized outstanding contributions in science, literature, and peace, with some interruptions primarily during the World Wars.

The economics prize was a later addition, funded by Sweden's central bank, the Riksbank.

Expert committees from various institutions select the winners for all Nobel Prizes. While most prizes are presented in Stockholm, the Peace Prize ceremony takes place in Oslo, possibly reflecting the political union between Sweden and Norway during Nobel's lifetime.

Previous recipients of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine include distinguished scientists like Alexander Fleming, who shared the 1945 award for discovering penicillin. Recent years have seen recognition for major scientific breakthroughs, including those that enabled COVID-19 vaccine development.

The 2024 medicine prize was awarded to American scientists Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun for discovering microRNA and its crucial role in the growth and life processes of multicellular organisms, helping explain cellular specialization.

The medicine prize traditionally begins the annual Nobel announcements, with the remaining prestigious awards in science, literature, peace, and economics scheduled for the coming days.

More than a century after their establishment, the Nobel Prizes maintain their rich traditions. The award ceremonies, attended by Swedish and Norwegian royal families, culminate in elaborate banquets held on December 10, marking the anniversary of Alfred Nobel's death.

BREAKING NEWS
The 2025 #NobelPrize in Physiology or Medicine has been awarded to Mary E. Brunkow, Fred Ramsdell and Shimon Sakaguchi "for their discoveries concerning peripheral immune tolerance."