Mary Brunkow’s journey from the University of Washington to a Nobel Prize-winning discovery is a testament to the scientific talent and research taking place in Washington. Brunkow, now a researcher at Seattle’s Institute for Systems Biology, helped uncover how the immune system prevents itself from attacking the body, a breakthrough that earned her a share of the 2025 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.
Brunkow began her scientific career studying fruit flies at UW before joining a Seattle-area biotechnology company, where she helped identify a gene essential to regulating the immune system. Her work alongside fellow researcher Fred Ramsdell helped scientists better understand autoimmune diseases and opened new possibilities for developing treatments for conditions involving the immune system.
Her career highlights the opportunities Washington offers scientists to build on their education, pursue important research and contribute to discoveries with global impact. From university laboratories to biotechnology companies and research institutes, Brunkow’s story illustrates the scientific expertise found throughout Washington’s life sciences community.