Hiking in an Area Without Communication
Mistaken Spam Call Leads to Missed Notification
Fred Ramsdell, who was named as a co-recipient of the 2025 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, reportedly remains unaware of his award. It is said that he went hiking in an area without communication access. Meanwhile, Mary E. Brunkow, who shared the prize with him, mistook a call from Thomas Perlmann, Secretary of the Nobel Committee, for spam and did not answer, leading to an unexpected situation.
According to AFP on October 6 (local time), a spokesperson for Sonoma Biotherapeutics in San Francisco, where Ramsdell is affiliated, stated that they have not yet been able to inform him of his Nobel Prize win. The spokesperson explained, "He is out hiking in a place without electricity or communication, enjoying the best of life."
Jeffrey Bluestone, Ramsdell's colleague and co-founder of Sonoma Biotherapeutics, also commented, "Ramsdell deserves to be recognized for his achievements, but we still have not been able to reach him," adding, "He is probably enjoying a backpacking trip in the remote wilderness of Idaho, USA."
Ramsdell, together with Japanese scholar Sakaguchi Shimon and fellow American scholar Brunkow, made relay-style contributions to uncovering the secrets of regulatory T cells, which serve as guardians of the human immune system. Their achievements were highly regarded, earning them the honor of receiving this year's Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.
On this day, Thomas Perlmann, Secretary of the Nobel Committee, tried to contact Brunkow, who was awarded alongside Ramsdell, but was unable to reach her and left a voicemail. Later, in an interview with local media, Brunkow said, "I saw a number from Sweden appear on my phone and thought it was a spam call, so I ignored it."
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
