Overview

• Sakaguchi identified regulatory T cells in 1995, establishing a peripheral layer of immune self-control beyond thymic deletion.
• Brunkow and Ramsdell pinpointed FOXP3 in 2001 as the gene whose mutation drives scurfy mouse autoimmunity and the human IPEX syndrome.
• In 2003, Sakaguchi demonstrated that FOXP3 programs the development of regulatory T cells, unifying the cellular and genetic insights.
• The Nobel Assembly noted that approaches leveraging Treg modulation have advanced into clinical trials for autoimmune disease, cancer and transplantation.
• The laureates will share 11 million Swedish kronor; Brunkow is at the Institute for Systems Biology, Ramsdell advises Sonoma Biotherapeutics, and Sakaguchi is a professor at Osaka University.