Peter Cresswell facts for kids
Peter Cresswell is a British immunologist. An immunologist is a scientist who studies the body's immune system. This system helps us fight off sickness. Peter Cresswell is a professor at Yale School of Medicine. He is known for his important work on how our bodies recognize and fight off germs.
His research mainly looks at how our immune system finds and deals with things that can make us sick. He focuses on special molecules called major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules and CD1 molecules. These molecules are like special tags that help the immune system identify invaders. He is famous for finding and understanding MHC class II molecules and a protein called viperin.
Early Life and Education
Peter Cresswell studied microbiology at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne in England. Microbiology is the study of very tiny living things, like bacteria and viruses. He then earned a Ph.D. in biochemistry and immunology from London University. Biochemistry is the study of the chemical processes happening inside living things.
After his studies in England, he went to Harvard University in the United States to continue his research. He worked with a famous scientist named Jack Strominger.
Career and Research
Before joining Yale School of Medicine, Peter Cresswell was in charge of the Immunology Division at Duke University Hospital.
Since 1991, he has been a researcher with the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. This is a very important organization that supports top scientists in their research.
His main work focuses on how our immune system processes "antigens." Antigens are parts of germs or other harmful substances that the immune system needs to recognize. He studies how special molecules, like MHC and CD1, help the immune system see these antigens. This is a key step in fighting off infections.
He is especially known for discovering MHC class II molecules. These molecules are crucial for the immune system to recognize and respond to invaders from outside our cells, like bacteria. He also discovered a protein called viperin, which helps our bodies fight against viruses.
Awards and Recognition
Peter Cresswell has received many important awards for his scientific work:
- He became a Fellow of The Royal Society in 2000. This is a very old and respected group of scientists in the United Kingdom.
- In 2001, he became a member of the National Academy of Sciences in the United States. This is a group of top scientists who advise the nation on science and technology.
- He received the Buchanan Medal in 2009. This medal is given by The Royal Society for important discoveries in medical sciences.
- In 2010, he was made a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
