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.

It&rsquo;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&rsquo;s Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.
She&rsquo;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&rsquo;ve asked Dr. Brunkow to reflect a bit on what that work looks like in hindsight, and what it means to share this honor&hellip;
GUEST: <a href="https://hood.isbscience.org/people/mary-brunkow-phd/?tab=biography">Dr. Mary Brunkow</a>
RELATED LINKS:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/science/she-didnt-believe-she-won-the-nobel-until-a-photographer-showed-up-at-her-seattle-door/">She didn&rsquo;t believe she won the Nobel &mdash; until a photographer showed up at her Seattle door</a>&nbsp;</li>
<li><a href="https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/medicine/2025/brunkow/facts/">Mary E. Brunkow &ndash; Facts &ndash; 2025 - NobelPrize.org</a>&nbsp;</li>
<li><a href="https://www.washington.edu/boundless/uw-alum-awarded-nobel-prize-in-medicine/">UW alum awarded Nobel Prize in Medicine &ndash; Be Boundless</a> </li>
</ul>
Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to <a href="http://kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes">kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes</a>
Soundside&nbsp;is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.

Soundside

Dr. Mary Brunkow joins Soundside to talk about the work that earned her a Nobel Prize.

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