“Tragic Twist: Nobel Prize Committee’s Search for Medicine Winner Fred Ramsdell Thwarted by Mountain Isolation”
The Nobel Prize season is underway, with announcements spanning from October 6 to October 13. This year, the spotlight is on Fred Ramsdell, a distinguished US immune specialist, who received the 2025 Nobel Prize in Medicine alongside Seattle’s Mary Brunkow and Japan’s Shimon Sakaguchi from Osaka University. The trio was honored for their groundbreaking research into the immune system’s regulatory T-cells.
However, a peculiar challenge surfaced when the Nobel Committee attempted to contact Ramsdell. Reports indicate that he was unreachable due to his off-grid hiking excursion, a fact confirmed by a spokesperson from Sonoma Biotherapeutics in San Francisco, where Ramsdell serves as Chief Scientific Officer. His colleagues noted that his trek likely stripped him of access to both phone and email.
Ramsdell’s friend Jeffrey Bluestone, who co-founded Sonoma Biotherapeutics, also shared his struggle to reach Ramsdell, suspecting he was “backpacking in the backcountry in Idaho.” This region of the northwestern United States is renowned for its rugged mountains and expansive wilderness, complicating communication efforts.
Meanwhile, the Nobel Assembly at Sweden’s Karolinska Institutet faced similar issues reaching Brunkow, though they ultimately succeeded in contacting her. Thomas Perlmann, secretary-general of the Nobel Committee, shared his experience of trying to relay the news, stating, “I asked them to, if they have a chance, call me back,” during the press conference.
Ramsdell was finally reached on Tuesday morning, Swedish time. Perlmann recounted the moment, revealing that Ramsdell’s wife let out a yell upon receiving the call, which startled Ramsdell, who was mindful of the area’s wildlife, including grizzly bears. Fortunately, the news was joyous-for the Nobel Prize beckoned. Perlmann noted Ramsdell’s elation, emphasizing that he had not anticipated this honor.
Later, Ramsdell spoke with The New York Times, expressing his disbelief at winning such a prestigious award. He and his wife had been on a three-week journey through the mountainous landscapes of Idaho, Wyoming, and Montana. “It never crossed my mind,” he remarked.
Ramsdell holds a doctorate in microbiology and immunology from UCLA, awarded in 1987. His groundbreaking work in partnership with Brunkow has enhanced our understanding of autoimmune diseases and led to innovative treatments saving lives globally. Acknowledging his significant contributions, UCLA Chancellor Julio Frenk articulated the impact of Ramsdell’s research, calling it transformative.
The challenges faced by the Nobel Committee in contacting awardees are not new. In 2020, they encountered similar difficulties with the economics prize winners, highlighting a recurring theme in Nobel Prize history.
As the Nobel announcements continue, the scientific community celebrates the remarkable achievements of these esteemed researchers, whose work has redefined the landscape of medical science. Their dedication to understanding the immune system holds promise for future advancements in health and medicine.
Original Source: https://www.livemint.com/news/world/nobel-prize-committee-couldnt-reach-medicine-award-winner-fred-ramsdell-he-was-hiking-without-signal-in-us-mountains-11759847743937.html
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Publish Date: 2025-10-07 20:49:00
