The prize recognizes foundational discoveries about regulatory T cells and the FOXP3 gene that redefined immune tolerance and opened avenues to treat autoimmune disease, enable transplantation, and advance immuno-oncology. ISB celebrates Dr. Brunkow’s leadership and collaborative science.
The pioneering work of Mary Brunkow and Fred Ramsdell began with a mysterious mutant mouse known as “scurfy,” leading them to identify the FOXP3 gene and unlock how regulatory T cells prevent autoimmune disease — discoveries that now point to new treatments in cancer and autoimmunity.
Researchers at the Institute for Systems Biology argue that combining systems biology, longitudinal multiomics data, and artificial intelligence could transform healthcare from reactive treatment to proactive prevention, enabling scientists and clinicians to detect early molecular signs of disease and intervene before symptoms appear.
The Biomedical Data Translator is now publicly available, offering a powerful open-source platform that integrates diverse biomedical datasets. Designed to accelerate discovery and patient care, Translator helps users explore complex data and uncover actionable insights with ease.
In a Research Roundtable presentation and Q&A, ISB President Dr. Jim Heath shared how his team is using generative AI to unlock new understanding of human immunity, and how these discoveries could help predict disease severity, improve cancer therapies, and more.