David Li Daokui
Mansfield Freeman Chair Professor, Tsinghua University | Director, Academic Center for Chinese Economic Practice and Thinking | Leading Chinese Economist | Author
Fred Ramsdell
2025 Nobel Laureate in Physiology or Medicine | Co-Discoverer of FOXP3 | Co-Founder & SAB Chair, Sonoma Biotherapeutics
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A 2025 Nobel Laureate in Physiology or Medicine, Fred Ramsdell co-discovered FOXP3, the gene that unlocked the immune system's self-regulation mechanism, opening the path to modern cancer immunotherapy, autoimmune treatment, and transplant medicine. With 30+ years translating discovery science into clinical therapies, he offers audiences an unmatched inside view of how fundamental research becomes transformative medicine.
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Fred Ramsdell biography
Fred Ramsdell is a 2025 Nobel Laureate in Physiology or Medicine and one of the world’s foremost molecular immunologists, whose decades-long career bridging basic science and biotechnology produced one of the most consequential genetic discoveries in the history of medicine. Trained at UC San Diego and UCLA, where he earned his PhD in microbiology and immunology in 1987 under the mentorship of Sidney Golub, speaker Fred Ramsdell went on to a fellowship at the National Institutes of Health before embarking on an industry research career that would span more than three decades across some of the most influential biotech institutions in the United States.
Nobel Prize speaker Fred Ramsdell is best known for co-discovering FOXP3, the master transcription factor governing the development and function of regulatory T cells, the immune system’s primary mechanism for preventing attacks on the body’s own tissues. Working alongside Mary Brunkow at Darwin Molecular and later Celltech in Bothell, Washington, Ramsdell led the immunology program that identified a critical mutation in the “scurfy” mouse strain, tracing it to a previously unknown gene they named FOXP3. Their three landmark papers in Nature Genetics in 2001 established FOXP3 as the molecular key to immune self-tolerance and demonstrated that mutations in the human equivalent cause IPEX syndrome, a devastating and often fatal autoimmune disorder. The discoveries directly enabled Shimon Sakaguchi’s subsequent proof that FOXP3 governs the regulatory T cells he had identified in 1995, completing a body of work that launched an entirely new field in immunology.
From Bench to Clinic: A Career Defined by Translation
Ramsdell’s career is distinguished not only by the depth of his foundational discoveries but by his sustained commitment to turning them into therapies. Following Celltech, he held research leadership roles at ZymoGenetics and Novo Nordisk, where he helped establish the company’s Inflammation Research Center in Seattle. He then served as Chief Scientific Officer at the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, building and advancing multiple oncology research programs from the ground up. He is a co-founder of Sonoma Biotherapeutics, a clinical-stage biotech developing engineered Treg cell therapies for serious autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, where he serves as Scientific Advisory Board Chair. In 2017, he shared the Crafoord Prize, one of science’s most prestigious honors, alongside Shimon Sakaguchi and Alexander Rudensky for their work on regulatory T cells. His Nobel-recognized research has helped catalyze more than 200 active clinical trials worldwide across cancer, autoimmunity, and transplantation.
As a speaker, Fred Ramsdell brings to the stage a career-long perspective on how rigorous basic science becomes world-changing medicine. From the early puzzle of a mutant mouse strain to a Nobel Prize announced while he was off the grid hiking in the Rockies, his story is one of deep intellectual curiosity, resilience, and the extraordinary long-term payoff of foundational research. Audiences in biotech, pharma, healthcare, and innovation leadership gain a rare inside view of how discovery actually happens, and why investing in fundamental science remains the most powerful lever for human health.
Fred Ramsdell Speaking Videos
Nobel Prize lecture: Fred Ramsdell, Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2025
History of FoxP3 and implications for therapeutic intervention in disease
Fred Ramsdell Speaking Topics
Ramsdell takes audiences inside the multi-year scientific investigation that led to the discovery of FOXP3 and the molecular basis of immune self-tolerance. From a puzzling mouse strain in a Seattle biotech lab to Nobel-recognized findings fueling hundreds of clinical trials globally, this keynote combines rigorous science with a compelling human story about curiosity, persistence, and the unexpected path from basic discovery to medical breakthrough.
Drawing on his career spanning the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy and Sonoma Biotherapeutics, Ramsdell explores the clinical frontier of regulatory T cell science. This talk maps the therapeutic landscape being reshaped by FOXP3 and Treg biology, from engineered cell therapies for autoimmune disease to checkpoint strategies in oncology, offering biotech, pharma, and healthcare leaders a substantive view of where immune tolerance medicine is headed.
A career-spanning reflection on what it takes to convert foundational science into transformative medicine. Ramsdell draws on his journey from NIH fellow to Nobel Laureate to make the case for patient, curiosity-driven research investment, and for the organizational cultures that allow breakthrough science to flourish over decades. A powerful keynote for innovation leadership, R&D strategy, and corporate culture forums.
Grounded in his hands-on experience at Immunex, ZymoGenetics, Novo Nordisk, the Parker Institute, and Sonoma Biotherapeutics, Ramsdell examines what it actually takes to move a discovery from the lab bench to the clinic. This talk addresses the strategic, scientific, and organizational challenges of biotech translation, offering practical insight for life sciences executives, investors, and R&D leaders navigating similar journeys.
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FAQs on Booking Fred Ramsdell
Booking Fred Ramsdell is a rare opportunity to bring one of the scientific architects of modern immunotherapy to your stage. As a 2025 Nobel Laureate in Physiology or Medicine, Ramsdell combines world-class scientific authority with a remarkable personal narrative, from doctoral work at UCLA and a fellowship at the NIH, to co-discovering FOXP3 in a Seattle biotech lab and co-founding Sonoma Biotherapeutics. His career arc, spanning foundational gene discovery, oncology research leadership at the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, and the translation of basic science into clinical therapies, makes him uniquely compelling for audiences in biotech, pharma, healthcare, and corporate innovation. He speaks to the culture of scientific persistence, the mechanics of discovery, and the strategic importance of basic research in a way that few living scientists can match. Contact Aurum Speakers Bureau to inquire about availability and booking.
Ramsdell, working alongside Mary Brunkow at Celltech in Bothell, Washington, co-discovered FOXP3, the transcription factor that serves as the master regulator of regulatory T cells. The team identified a two-base-pair mutation in a previously unknown gene as the cause of the fatal autoimmune disorder in a mouse strain called "scurfy," and went on to demonstrate that analogous mutations in the human version of FOXP3 cause IPEX syndrome, a severe autoimmune disease. Their 2001 publications in Nature Genetics provided the molecular key that Shimon Sakaguchi later used to prove that FOXP3 directly controls the development of the regulatory T cells he had discovered in 1995. Together, this body of work established the field of peripheral immune tolerance and has catalyzed more than 200 clinical trials in cancer, autoimmunity, and transplantation.
The Crafoord Prize is awarded annually by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences to recognize outstanding contributions in scientific disciplines not covered by the Nobel Prize. In 2017, Ramsdell shared the Crafoord Prize in Polyarthritis with Shimon Sakaguchi and Alexander Rudensky for their foundational work on regulatory T cells and autoimmune disease, an honor widely regarded as a precursor to Nobel-level recognition in the life sciences. Ramsdell was therefore among the most anticipated Nobel laureates in immunology long before the 2025 announcement.
Ramsdell speaks on the science and strategy of immunology, the discovery of FOXP3 and the regulatory T cell field, the translation of basic research into clinical therapies, and the culture of innovation in the biotechnology industry. His talks resonate especially with biotech and pharmaceutical leadership, life sciences investors, cancer research conferences, and corporate audiences interested in long-horizon innovation strategy. Aurum Speakers Bureau works directly with Fred Ramsdell to coordinate availability, tailored presentations, and event logistics. Reach out to Aurum to explore how he can elevate your next event.
Aurum Speakers Bureau can help you book Fred Ramsdell as a speaker for your next event, conference, or board meeting. Simply fill out our contact form to inquire about Fred Ramsdell's availability for a speaking engagement. One of our booking agents will respond to your request immediately and contact the speaker to let them know you want to hire them. We will assist you with obtaining speaking fees, booking information, and confirming availability for Fred Ramsdell or any other top keynote speaker or celebrity of your choice.
Fred Ramsdell speaking fees are determined by several factors, including the event's date, whether it's a virtual or in-person event, the duration, format, preparation required for their speech, and more. The same applies to the cost to hire any other top expert speakers and celebrities. The Speaker Fee Range listed on our website is simply a guideline and is subject to change without notice. If you would like to hire Fred Ramsdell to deliver a keynote speech for your event, please fill out the contact form or email us at info@aurumbureau.com with as much detail as possible. One of our experienced agents will get in touch with you and let you know exactly how much it will cost to book Fred Ramsdell.
We only work with Fred Ramsdell on paid speaking engagements. Aurum Speakers Bureau can assist you in booking Fred Ramsdell and will handle all negotiations, contracts, and logistics associated with having Fred Ramsdell speak at your event. We will be your sole point of contact throughout the process. Get in touch with Aurum Speakers Bureau today, and we will reach out to any motivational speaker or celebrity you want to enquire about speaking at your event. If you wish to contact Fred Ramsdell for any other reason, we will be unable to assist you as we are not authorized to provide personal contact information.
Yes, Fred Ramsdell is available for virtual keynotes and webinars. To book Fred Ramsdell for a virtual event, please complete the contact form or send us an email to inquire about the special fees for virtual engagements.
