Doreen Cantrell facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Doreen Cantrell
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| Alma mater | |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | immunology |
| Institutions | University of Dundee |
| Thesis | Membrane markers on rat cytotoxic cells (1982) |
Doreen Ann Cantrell (born 1957) is a British scientist. She is a Professor of Cellular Immunology at the School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee. Professor Cantrell studies how our bodies fight off sickness. She focuses on special cells called T lymphocytes. These cells are very important for understanding how our immune system works.
Learning and Studying
Doreen Cantrell earned her first degree in zoology in 1979. She studied at the University College of Wales, Aberystwyth. Later, she got her PhD in Immunology. She completed this research at the Cancer Research Campaign Laboratory at the University of Nottingham.
Her Work as a Scientist
Professor Cantrell made a big discovery in 1984. She and Dr. Kendall A. Smith found a new way to study how immune cells grow. This was a very important step for understanding our body's defenses.
From 1987 to 2002, she led a special lab. It was called the Lymphocyte Activation Laboratory. This lab was part of Cancer Research UK in London. In 2002, she moved to the University of Dundee. There, she received a special research award called a Wellcome Trust Principal Research Fellowship.
Professor Cantrell also helped guide important science decisions. She led the UK Medical Research Council's panel for immunology and infections. This was from 2010 to 2014. She also served on the main MRC council from 2014 to 2018. She helps edit a science magazine called Immunity.
She is a world expert on T lymphocytes. These are a type of white blood cell. They control our immune system. Understanding them helps us learn how diseases progress and how our bodies resist sickness.
Awards and Special Honours
Professor Cantrell has received many important awards for her work.
- In 2014, she was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE). This is a special honour from the British King or Queen. She received it for her great contributions to life sciences.
- In 2011, she became a fellow of the Royal Society. This is a group of the most important scientists in the UK. She was chosen for her work in immunology.
- She also became a member of The Royal Society of Edinburgh in 2005.
