A Nobel Moment for Phenome Health: Celebrating Mary Brunkow’s Groundbreaking Achievement

In a landmark announcement on October 6, 2025, the Nobel Assembly at the Karolinska Institutet awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine to Mary E. Brunkow, Fred Ramsdell, and Shimon Sakaguchi for their transformative work on peripheral immune tolerance. Their discoveries centered on how the body’s immune system maintains a delicate balance—attacking foreign invaders while sparing its own tissues from harm.

Their joint work unraveled the role of regulatory T cells, sometimes dubbed the immune system’s “guardians,” which prevent overly aggressive immune responses that could lead to autoimmune disease. Sakaguchi first pointed to the existence of such cells in 1995, arguing that immune tolerance extends beyond the thymus to peripheral tissues. Later, Brunkow and Ramsdell elucidated the significance of the Foxp3 gene: mutations in this gene were shown to provoke severe autoimmune conditions in mice and humans alike. Their synthesis of these findings opened the door for a new understanding of immune regulation—and new therapeutic directions.

The implications of this prize go beyond academic recognition. The insights into peripheral tolerance are reshaping approaches to autoimmune diseases, organ transplantation, and even cancer immunotherapy.

We are thrilled to congratulate Dr. Mary Brunkow, Senior Project Manager at Phenome Health, on this incredible recognition of her contributions — a triumph not only for her personally but also a profound moment for our entire scientific community. Her pioneering discoveries in immune system regulation mark a milestone in human health, one that resonates deeply with our mission at Phenome Health.

Mary’s Nobel Prize is an opportunity for celebration and reflection, and it highlights a few key takeaways:

• Ambitious scientific goals matter. Breakthroughs often arise from asking bold questions.
  
  
• Mechanistic insights are the bedrock of precision health. To move beyond associations, we must understand the wires and circuitry of biology.
  
  
• Translational impact is built on a strong scientific base. Her work is already influencing therapies; our work must similarly connect discovery to application.
  
  

As Phenome Health continues to build tools, models, and platforms for precision health, we are honored that Mary is part of our team. We look forward to carrying forward her legacy of rigor, depth, and impact — turning biology into better health for everyone.

Mary Brunkow learns that she has won the 2025 Nobel Prize in Medicine from the Nobel Committee. October 6, 2025. (AP Photos/Lindsey Wasson)