From First Principles FFP EP. 11 | From Cells to Circuits to Crystals — 2025 Nobel Prizes Unpacked
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.
Gender Pattern Guided Gene Discovery
- Only male scurfy mice developed the disease, so researchers deduced an X‑linked cause.
- That observation guided the FOXP3 gene hunt decades later.