Peter Doherty (immunologist) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Peter Doherty
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Peter Charles Doherty
15 October 1940 (age 84) Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
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| Education | |
| Known for | Major histocompatibility complex |
| Awards | Paul Ehrlich and Ludwig Darmstaedter Prize (1983) Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (1996) Australian of the Year (1997) Leeuwenhoek Lecture (1999) |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Medicine Immunology |
| Institutions | John Curtin School of Medical Research Australian National University |
| Thesis | Studies in the experimental pathology of louping-ill encephalitis (1970) |
| Doctoral advisor | G. L. Montgomery J. T. Stamp |
Peter Charles Doherty (born 15 October 1940) is a famous Australian scientist. He is an immunologist, which means he studies the body's immune system. He won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1996 for his important discoveries.
Peter Doherty was also named Australian of the Year in 1997. He is known as an "Australian Living Treasure" for his contributions. His research on how our bodies fight off diseases is considered a major invention from Queensland, Australia.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Peter Charles Doherty was born in Brisbane, Australia, on October 15, 1940. He grew up in a place called Oxley. He went to Indooroopilly State High School, which now has a special lecture hall named after him.
Becoming a Veterinarian
In 1962, Peter earned his first degree in veterinary science. He studied at the University of Queensland. After graduating, he worked as a vet for the Queensland Department of Agriculture. He helped take care of animals in rural areas.
He later started working in a lab at the Department's Animal Research Institute. There, he met Penelope Stephens, who studied microbiology. They got married in 1965. Peter then earned his master's degree in veterinary science in 1966.
Studying in Scotland
Peter Doherty continued his education in Scotland. He earned his PhD in pathology in 1970 from the University of Edinburgh. After finishing his studies, he returned to Australia. He continued his important research at the John Curtin School of Medical Research in Canberra. This school is part of the Australian National University.
Discovering How Our Bodies Fight Viruses
Peter Doherty's main research focused on the immune system. This is the system in our body that protects us from sickness. His Nobel Prize-winning work explained how our immune cells protect us from viruses.
Working with Rolf Zinkernagel
Peter Doherty and another scientist, Rolf Zinkernagel, worked together. They discovered how special immune cells, called T cells, recognize infected cells. T cells are like tiny soldiers that find and destroy cells that have been taken over by viruses.
Viruses get inside our cells and make copies of themselves. Killer T cells stop this by destroying the infected cells. Doherty and Zinkernagel found that T cells need to recognize two things on the surface of an infected cell. They need to see the virus part, called an antigen. They also need to see a molecule called a major histocompatibility complex (MHC) protein.
The Role of MHC Proteins
The MHC protein was already known for its role in organ transplants. It helps the body decide if a new organ is a match or not. Doherty and Zinkernagel discovered that MHC proteins are also key in fighting off viruses. For example, they found MHC was important in fighting meningitis viruses.
This discovery was very important for understanding how our immune system works. It helped scientists learn more about how our bodies protect us from many diseases.
Awards and Special Recognition
Peter Doherty has received many awards for his scientific work. In 1987, he became a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS). This is a very respected science group.
In 1997, he received the Golden Plate Award from the American Academy of Achievement. He is also the patron of a special research center. It is called the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity. This institute works to fight infectious diseases in humans. It opened in 2014.
Honors and Named Places
Peter Doherty has been recognized in other ways too. He became an Honorary Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences in 2015. In the same year, he was elected a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences. In 2017, he became a Fellow of the Royal Society of Victoria.
Some schools in Australia have even named houses after him. These include John Monash Science School, Moreton Bay Boys College, and Murrumba State Secondary College.
Personal Life
Peter Doherty and his wife, Penny, live in Melbourne, Australia. They have two sons. Their son Michael is a neurologist, a doctor who studies the brain. Their son James is a lawyer in Melbourne. Peter and Penny also have six grandchildren.
Peter Doherty continues to be involved in research. For part of the year, he works at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee, in the United States. For the rest of the year, he works at the University of Melbourne in Australia.
See also
In Spanish: Peter C. Doherty para niños
