Debrecen4U October 9, 2025

Japanese professor honored at the University of Debrecen receives the Nobel Prize

The Japanese professor’s scientific activities were recognized by the Debrecen University Faculty of Medicine’s Debrecen Prize for Molecular Medicine in 2023. Since the award was established, the Osaka University professor is the third recipient to receive a Nobel Prize, unideb reports.

According to the Nobel Committee, scientists Mary E. Brunkow, Fed Ramsdell, and Shimon Sakaguchi identified the immune system’s “security guards”—regulatory T cells that prevent immune cells from attacking the body itself. The results offer hope for the treatment and cure of autoimmune diseases, may enable more effective cancer treatments, and may help prevent serious complications after stem cell transplants, the announcement said.

The discoveries of the three scientists laid the foundation for the new field of science dealing with peripheral immune tolerance, giving impetus to the development of medical treatments aimed at curing cancer and autoimmune diseases. Their discovery may also increase the success of organ transplants, the greatest risk of which is the immune system attacking the new organ. Several of the treatments developed as a result of the discoveries are currently in clinical trials.

Shimon Sakaguchi’s activities were recognized by the Faculty of General Medicine of the University of Debrecen in 2023, and the Japanese professor was awarded the Debrecen Prize for Molecular Medicine.

“It is a great recognition and honor for me that my activities are recognized with this award by the University of Debrecen. This is an encouragement, it provides the incentive for my further work, to continue on the path I have already started. In the future, I will also strive to obtain as much information as possible about regulatory T cells with my research, so that based on this, specialists can achieve the most significant results in healing,” said Shimon Sakaguchi in 2023, upon receiving the Debrecen Award for Molecular Medicine.

Following the award ceremony, the distinguished professor gave a lecture entitled Regulatory T cells for controlling immunological diseases, in the Hall of the University of Debrecen, in which he presented his scientific results.

“With the Debrecen Award for Molecular Medicine, established in 2003, the University of Debrecen recognizes the work of scientists who have achieved outstanding results in the field of molecular medicine at an international level. The award is primarily for scientific activities that significantly contribute to the development of molecular medicine and whose results can be utilized in patient care. The value of the award is significantly increased by the fact that since its establishment, the Japanese professor is the third laureate, after Ralph M. Steinman and Katalin Karikó, to receive a Nobel Prize,” László Mátyus, Dean of the Faculty of General Medicine, told hirek.unideb.hu.

The Nobel Prize is traditionally awarded in Stockholm on December 10, the anniversary of the death of Alfred Nobel, the founder of the award.

Source:dehir.hu | Photo credit:Facebook Debrecen városa