Nobel 2025 Opening Ceremony: Biomedical field honors 3 American and Japanese scientists

This year's Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was awarded to three scientists, Mary E. Brunkow, Fred Ramsdell and Shimon Sakaguchi, for their discoveries related to peripheral immune tolerance.

Three scientists Mary E Brunkow, Fred Ramsdell and Shimon Sakaguchi won the Nobel Prize in Medicine this year - Photo: REUTERS

The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was announced today, October 6, opening the 2025 Nobel Prize season, awarded by the Nobel Assembly of the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm (Sweden).

Three scientists decode the immune mechanism

At 4:30 p.m. (Vietnam time), the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was officially awarded to three scientists: Mary E. Brunkow (USA), Fred Ramsdell (USA) and Shimon Sakaguchi (Japan), for their " discoveries of the mechanisms of peripheral immune tolerance."

According to Reuters, Professor Marie Wahren-Herlenius of the Karolinska Institute said this year's Nobel Prize in Medicine honors discoveries on how to control the immune system, helping people fight microorganisms while avoiding autoimmune diseases.

The Nobel Committee said that three scientists, Mary Brunkow, Fred Ramsdell and Shimon Sakaguchi, had clarified the mechanism of immune system regulation. They discovered that regulatory T cells play the role of "protectors", preventing immune cells from attacking the body.

According to the announcement, this work opens up new research directions, creating a foundation for therapies to treat cancer, autoimmune diseases and increase the success rate of organ transplants. Some therapies have entered the clinical trial stage.

According to AFP news agency, Mr. Shimon Sakaguchi, 74 years old, made his first important discovery in 1995. At that time, scientists believed that immune tolerance was only formed by eliminating harmful immune cells in the thymus, through a process called "central tolerance".

However, Mr. Sakaguchi demonstrated that the immune system is more complex and discovered a new type of immune cell that plays a role in protecting the body against autoimmune diseases.

In 2001, Mary E. Brunkow (64 years old) and Fred Ramsdell (65 years old) made another discovery, explaining why some species of mice are particularly susceptible to autoimmune diseases.

"They found that these mice carried a mutation in a gene they named Foxp3. At the same time, the same mutation in humans causes the severe autoimmune syndrome IPEX," the jury said.

Two years later, Sakaguchi linked these findings, completing the picture of the mechanism of immune tolerance.

Three scientists won the 2025 Nobel Prize in Medicine - Photo: NOBEL PRIZE

America's scientific standing under President Trump

This year, American scientists continue to be honored with the Nobel Prize in Medicine, extending America's "dominance streak" in Nobel science categories.

Last year, two American scientists, Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun, received the prize for discovering the role of microRNA in regulating gene activity in cells.

The United States still maintains strong investment in basic research and academic freedom. However, major cuts to science budgets under President Donald Trump could change the situation.

According to the independent database Grant Watch, since January, the US National Institutes of Health (NIH) has terminated 2,100 research grants, with a total value of about $9.5 billion and $2.6 billion in contracts.

Mr. Thomas Perlmann - Secretary General of the Nobel Committee for Medicine - commented that "it is not a coincidence that the US has the most Nobel laureates", but now "there are concerns about whether this country can maintain its leading position in research or not".

He called the US the “main engine of global science” and warned that if this engine faltered, the consequences would be dire. Even a few years of cuts could cause irreversible damage.

Honoring those who benefit humanity

From 1901 to 2024, the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was awarded 115 times to a total of 229 laureates.

Next, the Nobel Prizes in Physics, Chemistry, Literature and Peace, and Economics will be announced from October 7 to 13. Each prize includes a gold medal, a diploma, and 11 million Swedish kronor (equivalent to 1.2 million USD).

Awarded since 1901, the Nobel Prize honors those who, inventor and businessman Alfred Nobel emphasized, "have conferred the greatest benefit on mankind."

The Nobel Prizes were established to honor outstanding contributions in five fields closely related to the life of the founder of this prize including physics, chemistry, medicine, literature and peace. In 1969 , the Nobel Prize in Economics was added.

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THANH HIEN

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/mo-man-nobel-2025-linh-vuc-y-sinh-vinh-danh-3-nha-khoa-hoc-my-va-nhat-ban-20251006115419698.htm