The Crafoord Prize in Polyarthritis 2025, worth 6 million Swedish kronor, is awarded to Christopher Goodnow, Australia, and David Nemazee, USA. They discovered important mechanisms that prevent B cells from attacking the body’s own tissues in autoimmune disease. Knowledge that could pave the way for new treatments for conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus and multiple sclerosis.
Normally, the body’s immune system protects us from viruses, bacteria and foreign substances. However, in autoimmune diseases, the immune system starts attacking tissues in the body instead.
Researchers had long tried to discover the cause of autoimmune diseases. But, Christopher Goodnow and David Nemazee, independently of each other, adopted a new approach. They asked why we do not all develop these diseases. Their focus was on B cells which, together with white blood cells and T cells, are part of the complex immune system.
“They have given us a new and detailed understanding of the mechanisms that normally prevent faulty B cells from attacking tissues in the body, explaining why most of us are not affected by autoimmune diseases,” says Olle Kämpe, member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences and chair of the prize committee.
Great potential
In recent years, physicians have started to experiment by using existing drugs to neutralise B cells for patients with severe autoimmune diseases, including lupus, rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis. This has proven to be very effective.
“I have really seen the potential of these treatments. Many of my patients are much better and have improved their quality of life,” says Anders Bengtsson, professor of rheumatology at Lund University and consultant at Skåne University Hospital.
Thanks to this year’s Crafoord Prize Laureates, we have gained fundamental new knowledge about what is happening in the immune system in autoimmune disease. This may also lead to completely new therapies, perhaps even a cure in the future.
Wonderful surprise
For Christopher Goodnow, the news of the Crafoord Prize came as a wonderful surprise.
“It’s the most amazing phone call of my life! I’m honoured and very happy that the Academy gives this recognition to basic science, providing the foundations for understanding and treating disease. It’s also wonderful to share the prize with David Nemazee. We were friendly competitors working at different places in the world, and the two of us arrived at complementary answers at a time when most working in the field didn’t believe B cell tolerance was a thing,” he says.
The Laureates
Christopher Goodnow, The Bill and Patricia Ritchie Foundation Chair, Garvan Institute of Medical Research and Professor at Cellular Genomics Futures Institute, School of Biomedical Sciences, UNSW Sydney, Australia. Born in Hong Kong 1959. Received his PhD at University of Sydney 1990.
Christopher Goodnow, Garvan Institute of Medical Research
David Nemazee, Professor at the Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Scripps Research, La Jolla, California, USA. Born in Shiraz, Iran 1956. Received his PhD at Harvard University 1983.
David Nemazee, Scripps Research
The Crafoord Prize
The Crafoord Prize is awarded in partnership between the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences and the Crafoord Foundation in Lund, Sweden. The Academy is responsible for selecting the laureates. The disciplines, which change every year, are mathematics and astronomy, polyarthritis (systemic diseases that cause inflammation in the joints) geosciences and biosciences. Holger Crafoord, whose donation established the foundation, suffered himself from rheumatoid arthritis.
The laureates will share six million Swedish kronor equally. The prize will be awarded in conjunction with Crafoord Days in Lund and Stockholm from 5 – 8 May and will be presented to the laureates by H. M. King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden.
Read more about the Crafoord Prize
Do you want to know more about the research behind the prize? Look at our prize video here.