Shimon Sakaguchi, Specially Appointed Professor at Osaka University, to Receive 2025 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine
It has been announced that Dr. Shimon Sakaguchi, Specially Appointed Professor at Osaka University, will be awarded the 2025 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. Professor Sakaguchi's long years of research led to the discovery of "regulatory T cells" (Tregs), a groundbreaking finding vital for understanding the fundamental principles of the immune system. This discovery is highly acclaimed for opening new avenues in the treatment of autoimmune diseases and allergic conditions. Regulatory T cells are immune cells that act as a "brake" to suppress excessive immune responses in the body. Their function prevents immune cells from mistakenly attacking the body's own tissues, as seen in autoimmune diseases (e.g., Type 1 diabetes), and controls uncontrolled allergic reactions like hay fever and atopic dermatitis. Professor Sakaguchi began researching this immune suppressive mechanism in 1979 and clearly identified the existence of regulatory T cells in 1995. The...