Published: 5 October 2025NobelPrize.orgScience & Technology
Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2025 Awarded for Discovery of Regulatory T Cells
The 2025 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was awarded to Mary E. Brunkow, Fred Ramsdell, and Shimon Sakaguchi for their discoveries concerning peripheral immune tolerance — specifically, the identification of regulatory T cells (Tregs) that prevent the immune system from attacking the body's own cells.
Sakaguchi discovered regulatory T cells in 1995, identifying a previously unknown class of immune cells that protect the body from autoimmune diseases. In 2001, Brunkow and Ramsdell revealed that mutations in the FOXP3 gene cause the human disease IPEX (Immune dysregulation, Polyendocrinopathy, Enteropathy, X-linked). Two years later, Sakaguchi established that Foxp3 is the master regulator of regulatory T cell development. Their work has laid the foundation for new treatments for cancer and autoimmune diseases.
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The 2025 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was awarded for the discovery of which immune cells?
Explanation · Correct answer ABrunkow, Ramsdell and Sakaguchi won the 2025 Nobel Medicine Prize for discovering regulatory T cells (Tregs) and the FOXP3 gene's role in immune tolerance.
Frequently asked questions
Who received the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2025?
The 2025 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was awarded to **Mary E. Brunkow**, **Fred Ramsdell**, and **Shimon Sakaguchi** for discoveries on **peripheral immune tolerance** and the characterisation of **regulatory T cells (Tregs)**.
When did Sakaguchi discover regulatory T cells?
**Shimon Sakaguchi** (Osaka University) first discovered regulatory T cells in **1995**, showing that a specific CD4+ T cell subset actively suppresses immune attacks on self-tissues — the cellular basis of immune self-tolerance.
What did Brunkow and Ramsdell discover about FOXP3 in 2001?
In **2001**, **Brunkow and Ramsdell** showed that mutations in the **FOXP3 gene** cause **IPEX syndrome** — a fatal autoimmune condition — linking FOXP3 directly to regulatory T cell function.
How did Sakaguchi's 2003 finding advance Treg science?
In **2003**, Sakaguchi proved that **Foxp3** is the master transcription factor governing Treg development, bridging genetic discoveries with Treg biology and completing the mechanistic picture.
What therapies have the Treg discoveries enabled?
Treg research enables treatments targeting **cancer** (by reducing Tregs to boost anti-tumour immunity) and **autoimmune diseases** — MS, **type 1 diabetes**, **IBD** — by modulating Treg levels precisely.
