$500k Prize Goes to Immune System Researchers

This past Friday, the 500,000 Albany Medical Center prize was announced.  This medicine and biomedical award amount is only surpassed by the 1.4 million dollar Nobel Prize.

The winners are: Dr. Ralph Steinman, of Rockefeller University; Dr. Charles Dinarello, of the University of Colorado; and Dr. Bruce Beutler, of The Scripps Research Institute.  All three doctors received the award for their immune system research,  which has led to new treatments for diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis.

The ball started rolling in 1973. Dr. Steinman discovered a white blood cell that acted like an emergency call for the body. These cells essentially alert other white blood cells to multiply in a defense mechanism. He named the cells dendritic cells. The discovery of dendritic cells and their role in immunity played a pivotal role in the  research toward future vaccine improvements, treatment of autoimmune disorders, and cancer treatments.

Dr. Dinarello discovered Interleukin-1, the molecule responsible for the fever and inflammation. After figuring out which molecule was responsible for inflammatory responses, he has focused his work on discovering how to block the molecule in order to relieve inflammation. His work his resulted in new treatments for diseases and conditions such as: allergies, rheumatoid arthritis, graft vs. host in transplant patients, Crohns disease, diabetes, etc..

Dr. Beutler is responsible for defining and isolating the role of one of the proteins products of dendritic cells called, Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF.) Dr. Beutler then created Enbrel, a medication that blocks out of control TNF in autoimmune disorders like: ankylosing sodalities, rheumatoid arthritis and juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, etc..  He went on to discover the key proteins that the immune system uses to “see” virus, bacteria, and fungus. These toll like receptors (TLRs) are what ignites the immune response and increases the morbidity risk when a person has an infection. 

For inflammation to be a good thing, it must occur in the right place, at the right time, and in the right amount. Otherwise, it is detrimental to health. The work of these three men has led to a better understanding/treatment of the human immune system, inflammatory response, and all of the related health and disease issues. 

Congratulations to these all too deserving scientists- Dr. Ralph Steinman,  Dr. Charles Dinarello, and Dr. Bruce Beutler!