Elizabeth Simpson (biologist) facts for kids

Elizabeth Simpson is a brilliant British biologist. She is known for her important work on how our bodies accept or reject new organs after a transplant. She is currently an Emeritus Professor of Transplantation Biology at Imperial College London. This means she is a retired professor who still keeps her title because of her amazing contributions to science.

Professor Simpson helped us understand tiny parts of our bodies called antigens. These antigens are like special tags on cells. Her research showed how these tags, especially those found in males, affect how the body reacts to transplanted organs. Her discoveries have made organ transplants much safer and more successful for many patients.

Early Life and Education

Elizabeth Simpson was born in London, England. She loved animals and studied to become a veterinarian. She earned both her Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Veterinary Medicine from the University of Cambridge.

After finishing her studies, she worked as a veterinary surgeon in Canada for two years. She then worked as a virologist, studying viruses, for the Department of Health and Welfare in Ottawa. In 1966, she returned to Cambridge. There, she taught animal pathology for three years.

A Career in Science

Professor Simpson's career took her all over the world. She moved to Delhi, India, where she worked as an immunologist for the World Health Organization (WHO). At the same time, she was also a research scientist for the National Institute for Medical Research (NIMR) in London.

After her time in India, she led the Transplant Biology Group at several important research centers. These included the Medical Research Council's Clinical Research Centre and the Clinical Sciences Centre at Hammersmith Hospital. She also worked for the National Cancer Institute. She was even the Deputy Director of the Clinical Sciences Centre at Imperial College, London.

Even though she is British, Professor Simpson has made big contributions to science in both the United States and England. She often spends summers at the Jax Laboratory in Maine, USA, continuing her research. Since 2004, she has been an Emeritus Professor at Imperial College, London.

Amazing Discoveries in Research

Professor Simpson is an expert in cellular immunology. This field studies how our body's defense system, called the immune system, works. She started her important research with another famous scientist, Peter Medawar, in the late 1960s.

Together, they studied why the body sometimes rejects transplanted organs. They looked at special tags, or antigens, found on cells from male mice. Their research helped them discover that genes on the Y chromosome (which males have) play a big role in whether a transplant is rejected.

Professor Simpson's work showed how our immune cells, called T cells, recognize these male-specific antigens. She even found the exact parts of the Y chromosome genes that create these tags. Her discoveries have greatly improved our understanding of how the body accepts or rejects new organs. This knowledge has made organ transplantation much safer and more successful.

Today, she continues to use her findings to answer big questions about how our immune system chooses which cells to fight. She also works on ways to help stem cells (special cells that can turn into other cell types) work better in the body.

Awards and Recognition

Professor Elizabeth Simpson has received many awards for her groundbreaking work:

• 1999: She became a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences.
• 2000: She received the OBE (Officer of the Order of the British Empire), a special honor from the Queen.
• 2010: She was made an Honorary Fellow of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons.
• 2010: She became a Fellow of the Royal Society, one of the oldest and most respected scientific organizations.
• 2011: She was named an Honorary Member of the British Transplantation Society.
• 2015: She received an HonDSc (Honorary Doctor of Science) from Imperial College.
• 2019: She was honored by Queen Mary University of London for her "Outstanding Contribution to Science for Lifetime Achievements in Immunology and Inflammation."