Mark Zuckerberg celebrates scientists for innovative cancer treatment

Immunologists Carl June and Michel Sadelain were announced winners of the prestigious Breakthrough Prize award on Thursday.

The immunologists engineered T-cells that successfully target and kill cancer cells.

A statement on the Breakthrough Prize website on their work read: “Carl June and Michel Sadelain genetically engineered T cells – key players in the body’s immune system – with synthetic receptors termed chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) to instruct T cells to recognize the cancer cells of individual patients.

“These CAR T cells have remarkable rates of success against liquid cancers including types of leukemia, lymphoma, and myeloma. For some patients, the tumors have been entirely eradicated and have not returned, years after treatment”.

Taking to his Facebook page Thursday, Zuckerberg congratulated the laureates on their win writing: “Priscilla and I helped create the Breakthrough Prize to celebrate scientists who are pushing the boundaries of life sciences, fundamental physics, and mathematics.

“This year’s winners have made incredible progress in understanding the causes of major diseases and developing new treatments, like Carl June and Michel Sadelain, who won for their work in engineering T-cells to successfully target and kill cancer cells.

“Congratulations to all the 2024 Breakthrough Prize laureates”!