Co-authored paper in Nature Genetics linking scurfy gene product FOXP3 to a lymphoproliferative disorder in mice.
On February 1, 2001, Mary E. Brunkow co-authored a landmark paper in Nature Genetics that identified the scurfy gene product, initially termed scurfin and later known as FOXP3. Her work linked the disruption of this gene to a fatal lymphoproliferative disorder in mice. This discovery was pivotal, as it provided the first genetic basis for a severe autoimmune condition and laid the foundation for the field of regulatory T cell biology, a crucial component of immune regulation. Brunkow's research not only deepened scientific understanding of autoimmune diseases but also influenced numerous follow-up studies exploring the mechanisms of immune tolerance.
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