Avery August facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Avery August
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| Born | 28 January 1964 Belize City, Belize
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Avery August was born in Belize City, Belize, on January 28, 1964. He is a famous American scientist. He is currently a professor of Immunology at Cornell University. He also serves as a vice provost at the university.
Contents
A Scientist's Journey: Early Life and Education
Avery August grew up in Belize City. He went to primary schools run by the government. Later, he attended St. Michael's College for Boys. This is what high schools are called in Belize. He earned his High School Diploma there.
After studying for a year at the Belize Technical College, his family moved. They moved to Los Angeles, California. In Los Angeles, he went to California State University, Los Angeles. He earned a degree in Medical Technology.
While at California State University, he started doing research. He worked in Professor Phoebe Dea's lab. This first experience with science research made him want to go to graduate school. He chose to study at Cornell University in New York City.
At Cornell, he worked at the Sloan Kettering Institute. This is part of the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. He studied with a scientist named Bo Dupont. Here, he earned his PhD in immunology. After that, he gained more experience at Rockefeller University. He worked with Hidesaburo Hanafusa, a well-known virologist.
A Career in Science: Discoveries and Research
Dr. August first worked on making fatty acids in the lab. This was when he was an undergraduate student. This work helped scientists understand cell membranes better. Later, he became very interested in Immunology. This is the study of how our bodies fight off sickness.
When he moved to Cornell University, he began his PhD research. He wanted to understand how T cells get activated. T cells are very important parts of our immune system. They help control how our body responds to germs. For example, the HIV virus attacks helper T cells. This weakens the body's ability to fight off infections. This can lead to AIDS.
Dr. August studied how T cells get a special signal. This signal comes from a protein called CD28. His work helped explain how T cells become active. This research led to many important scientific papers. His PhD paper was about how T cells get activated by two signals.
After getting his PhD, Dr. August joined a lab at Rockefeller University. He worked on different projects there. One project looked at the BRCA1 gene. When this gene is changed, it can increase the risk of breast cancer. His work showed that this protein can control other genes. This might affect how breast cancer develops.
He also continued to study a group of proteins called Tec family kinases. He showed how these proteins are controlled by other signals. This discovery was important for understanding T cell activity. It could help scientists find ways to control our immune response.
In 1999, Dr. August became a professor at Pennsylvania State University. He became a distinguished professor of immunology there. He also directed a center for molecular immunology. Later, he moved to Cornell University. He is now a professor in the Department of Microbiology & Immunology. He is also a HHMI Professor and the vice provost for academic affairs.
Honors and Awards
Dr. August has received several important awards.
- In 2016, he won the Ruth Kirschstein Diversity in Science award. This award recognized his efforts to help scientists from diverse backgrounds. It also honored his work in biochemistry and molecular biology.
- In 2018, he was chosen to be an HHMI professor. This was for his great work with college students doing research. He created a special program to help students who transfer from community colleges. This program includes:
- A summer research experience.
- Mentoring from professors.
- Mentoring from other students.
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Avery August, a leading immunologist.
