What's the difference between a scurfy mouse and a scruffy mouse? A Nobel Prize

13/10/2025 17 min
What's the difference between a scurfy mouse and a scruffy mouse? A Nobel Prize

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Episode Synopsis

It’s been quite a week for one Seattle scientist, after getting an unexpected late-night call from a Swedish phone number last week. That call turned out to bring good news: Dr. Mary Brunkow is sharing this year’s Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. She’s being honored for research she did decades ago; work that would eventually loom large in developing ways to treat autoimmune disease and cancer. We’ve asked Dr. Brunkow to reflect a bit on what that work looks like in hindsight, and what it means to share this honor… GUEST: Dr. Mary Brunkow RELATED LINKS: She didn’t believe she won the Nobel — until a photographer showed up at her Seattle door  Mary E. Brunkow – Facts – 2025 - NobelPrize.org  UW alum awarded Nobel Prize in Medicine – Be Boundless Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.