Raymond Dwek facts for kids

Raymond Allen Dwek (born 10 November 1941) is a very important scientist who works at the University of Oxford in England. He is also one of the people who started a science company called Oxford GlycoSciences Ltd. He has received special awards like the CBE and is a top member of important science groups, being a FRS and a FRSC.

About Raymond Dwek

Raymond Dwek went to school at Carmel College. He then studied chemistry at the University of Manchester from 1960 to 1964. After that, he went to Oxford University and finished his advanced degree (called a DPhil) in physical chemistry in 1966.

In 1988, he became a professor of a special science called Glycobiology. This was in the Department of Biochemistry at Oxford. He is now an emeritus fellow at Exeter College, Oxford. This means he is a retired member who still has a special connection to the college. Since 2014, he has been the emeritus director of the Oxford Glycobiology Institute. He started this important institute in 1991.

Professor Dwek was also the head of the Department of Biochemistry from 2000 to 2006. He was involved with many other important science groups around the world. For example, he was on the Board of Scientific Governors at The Scripps Research Institute in the USA. He was also the President of the Institute of Biology from 2008 to 2010. During this time, he helped combine it with another group to form the Royal Society of Biology.

He also worked as a science advisor for presidents of universities. This included Ben-Gurion University of the Negev in Israel. There, he helped build a new science institute. He also advised the Institute of Biochemistry in Bucharest. From 2012 to 2017, he helped lead the UK/Israel Science Council. Since 2013, he has been part of the science board for ShanghaiTech University.

Dwek's Science Journey

Raymond Dwek started his science journey by studying chemistry. He earned his DPhil degree from Oxford in 1966. After that, he taught chemistry at Christ Church, Oxford. In 1969, he joined the Biochemistry Department. He worked with other scientists in the Oxford Enzyme Group.

In 1974, he received a special research fellowship. He began studying antibodies, which are important parts of our immune system. This research led him to become a university lecturer in biochemistry in 1976. He also became a fellow at Exeter College. At the same time, he taught biochemistry at Trinity College. He helped to build up the biochemistry program there.

What is Glycobiology?

Professor Dwek's work on antibodies helped him understand the role of tiny sugar chains called oligosaccharides. These sugar chains are attached to antibodies. His discoveries led to a whole new field of science called glycobiology. Raymond Dwek actually created the word "glycobiology." This word was added to the Oxford English Dictionary in 1992. In 1988, he became a professor of glycobiology.

Working with Companies

In 1985, Professor Dwek secured the first major grant from a company for Oxford University. This was from Monsanto Company USA. The company wanted to develop new medicines. The grant was to create ways to study oligosaccharides. Over 13 years, this grant was worth almost $100 million. In 1991, Dwek became the director of the Glycobiology Institute. This institute was built with money from Monsanto and another company called Searle.

In 1988, Dwek also helped start Oxford GlycoSciences Plc. This company was created to use the science discoveries from his research. In 1995, the company was recognized as part of the Queen's Anniversary Prize given to Oxford University. In 1998, the company's shares were sold on the London Stock Exchange. In 2002, Oxford GlycoSciences, working with the Glycobiology Institute, had a medicine approved worldwide. This medicine helps people with Gaucher disease.

In 1998, Dwek also helped start another company called Synergy in the United States. This company worked on medicines to treat long-term Hepatitis B and C infections. Later, another company called United Therapeutics took over this work. Dwek became a director of United Therapeutics in 2002 and still holds this position. This company has supported the antiviral research at the Glycobiology Institute for many years.

Professor Dwek has written several science books. He has also published over 600 research papers. He holds about 100 patents for his inventions.

Awards and Special Recognition

Raymond Dwek has received many awards and honors for his important work. He has been given special honorary doctorates from several universities. These include universities in Belgium, Israel, the USA, Romania, and Ireland.

Other awards include the Wellcome Trust Award for Biochemistry Research in 1994. He also received the First Scientific Leadership Award of the Hepatitis B Foundation in 1997. He was given the Romanian Order of Merit in 2000. In 2007, he received the Huxley Medal. He also received the K.T. Wang Bioorganic Chemistry Prize in Taiwan.

In 2007, he held a special position at the Library of Congress in the USA. He is an Honorary Fellow of Lincoln College, Oxford. He was also a director of Oxford University Innovation, which helps turn university ideas into real-world products. He was the first chairman of Oxford University Consulting.

Dwek became a member of the European Molecular Biology Organization in 1988. He became a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry in 1993. In 1998, he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society. This is one of the highest honors for a scientist in the UK. He also became a foreign member of the American Philosophical Society in 2006. In 2007, he became an Honorary Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians.

He was the head of the Biochemistry Department from 2000 to 2007. He was also President of the Institute of Biology from 2008 to 2010. He helped create the UK-Israel Science Council. He was its co-chair with Professor Rivka Carmi from 2010 to 2017.

In 2013, Raymond Dwek was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE). This was for his important work in science cooperation between the UK and Israel. In 2018, he received a Lifetime Achievement Award from Ben-Gurion University.