From First Principles From Cells to Circuits to Crystals — 2025 Nobel Prizes Unpacked (EP. 11)
Oct 9, 2025
Dive into groundbreaking science as the hosts explore the 2025 Nobel Prizes. Discover how the FOXP3 gene plays a critical role in immune tolerance and autoimmune disease prevention. Learn about macroscopic quantum tunneling and its significance for future quantum devices. Finally, unravel the mysteries of metal-organic frameworks, innovative structures for CO₂ capture and water harvesting. Each topic reveals exciting advancements and implications for technology and health.
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Regulatory T Cells As Immune Police
- Regulatory T cells act as the immune system's 'military police' to prevent self-attack.
- They suppress rogue T cells and are essential to preventing autoimmune disease.
Scurfy Mouse Led To FOXP3 Hunt
- Researchers at Oak Ridge in the 1940s found the scurfy mouse strain with scaly skin and early death.
- Only male mice developed disease, pointing to an X-linked genetic cause.
FOXP3 Frameshift Explained Autoimmunity
- Brunkow and Ramsdell mapped a 500 kb X‑chromosome region and found a two-base insertion in FOXP3.
- The frameshift destroyed FOXP3, linking it to scurfy mice and human IPEX autoimmunity.