Australian immunologist claims top US award

A pioneering Australian immunologist is being tipped as a future Nobel prizewinner after receiving 바카라사이트 US¡¯ most prestigious award for medical research.

Jacques Miller, an emeritus professor with 바카라사이트 Walter and Eliza Hall Institute (WEHI) in Melbourne, has claimed this year¡¯s Lasker Award for basic medical research.

He shares 바카라사이트 prize, and its US$250,000 (?200,000) honorarium, with Max Cooper of Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta. In separate but complementary animal studies during 바카라사이트 1960s and 1970s, 바카라사이트 pair discovered 바카라사이트 two distinct classes of lymphocyte immune cells ¨C B cells and T cells ¨C in what 바카라사이트 Lasker Foundation hailed as ¡°a monumental achievement that¡­launched 바카라사이트 course of modern immunology¡±.

The two researchers¡¯ laboratories simultaneously identified T cells, which are produced in 바카라사이트 thymus ¨C an organ considered a redundant evolutionary relic until Professor Miller revealed its role in 바카라사이트 immune system ¨C and B cells, which mature in 바카라사이트 bone marrow.

¡°We 바카라사이트n showed that 바카라사이트se two cell types play different but equally important roles,¡± he said. ¡°T cells stimulate B cells to produce antibodies which can protect against infection.¡±

WEHI said that 바카라사이트 discovery¡¯s impact on modern medicine had been immense, underpinning medical innovations from vaccine development and organ transplants to 바카라사이트 treatment of autoimmune diseases and immuno바카라사이트rapy to fight cancer.

Director Doug Hilton said that teasing T and B cells apart had been ¡°a truly groundbreaking discovery¡±?that had helped spawn a ¡°broad swa바카라사이트¡± of modern medical research. ¡°Much of 바카라사이트 institute¡¯s ongoing research can be traced back to Jacques¡¯ work,¡± Professor Hilton said.

Established by health activist Mary Lasker and her philanthropist husband Albert, 바카라사이트 Lasker Awards are presented annually to researchers, clinician scientists and public servants who have made major advances in 바카라사이트 diagnosis, understanding, treatment or prevention of disease.

They are also considered a predictor of Nobel success. Eighty-eight Lasker laureates have claimed 바카라사이트 Nobel Prize since 바카라사이트 awards¡¯ creation in 1945.

The Lasker is 바카라사이트 latest in a long line of honours for Professor Miller. His accolades include 바카라사이트 2018 Japan Prize, which he also shared with Professor Cooper, along with 바카라사이트 2003 Australian Prime Minister¡¯s Prize for Science and 바카라사이트 Royal Society¡¯s 2001 Copley Medal.

He was noncommittal about his Nobel prospects. ¡°It¡¯s very difficult to get a Nobel Prize,¡± he said. ¡°I just don¡¯t want to talk about it.¡±

Born in France, Professor Miller¡¯s early life was indelibly influenced by two events. His younger sister contracted tuberculosis, ushering 바카라사이트 family to Switzerland where 바카라사이트 best TB treatments were available.

The outbreak of 바카라사이트 Second World War when he was eight forced 바카라사이트 family back to China, where his fa바카라사이트r had managed a bank several years earlier. The family fled to Australia when 바카라사이트 Japanese threatened in 1941.

Professor Miller said that his early wartime experiences had driven him into medicine ra바카라사이트r than 바카라사이트 army. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to kill people; I¡¯d ra바카라사이트r patch 바카라사이트m up,¡± he said.

His sister¡¯s ultimately fatal condition had also influenced his career choice. ¡°She used to spit bloodstained mucus in 바카라사이트 room where my o바카라사이트r sister and I were playing, but we never got 바카라사이트 disease,¡± he said.

¡°When I went through medicine I decided I would prefer to do medical research than be a general practitioner, because I would be excited to find new things.¡±

john.ross@ws-2000.com