Leslie Massey
Australia has produced several Nobel Prize winners, including Sir Frank Macfarlane Burnet, who won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1960. Burnet was a virologist who made significant contributions to immunology research, particularly in the discovery of acquired immunological tolerance. His work revolutionized the understanding of the immune system and paved the way for advancements in organ transplantation. Burnet's research focused on understanding how the immune system distinguishes between its own cells and foreign invaders, developing methods for growing viruses in chicken embryos. He was also known for his practical approach to scientific problems and his commitment to building Australian medical science.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | Sir Frank Macfarlane Burnet |
| Year | 1960 |
| Field | Immunology |
| Award | Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine |
| Shared with | Peter Medawar |
| Discovery | Acquired immunological tolerance |
| Theory | Clonal selection theory of acquired immunity |
| Research focus | Influenza viruses |
| Research tools | Chicken eggs and microscopes |
| Research impact | Revolutionized understanding of immunity and organ transplants |
| Other achievements | Director of the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute in Melbourne, Australia |
| Death | 1985 |
Explore related products
What You'll Learn
Sir Frank Macfarlane Burnet's work on immunological tolerance
Sir Frank Macfarlane Burnet OM AK KBE FAA FRS FRNZ, usually known as Macfarlane or Mac Burnet, was an Australian virologist and immunologist. He was the first Australian to win a Nobel Prize for work undertaken within Australia. Burnet was awarded the 1960 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his work on acquired immunological tolerance, which he shared with Peter Medawar.
Burnet's work on immunological tolerance helped unravel the question of how the vertebrate immune system learns to distinguish between its own cells and foreign materials (antigens). He discovered that during development, a vertebrate becomes able to tolerate its own components—a concept known as immunological tolerance. Burnet's research into immune tolerance paved the way for modern transplantation, as it laid the foundation for successful organ transplants.
Burnet's interest in the subject of immunological tolerance began during the 1940s. During his study of influenza viruses in the 1930s and 1940s, he developed methods for growing viruses in chicken embryos inside eggs. He noticed that while normal hens could be infected with influenza and develop antibodies, chickens born from eggs with the virus did not. This led to his discovery that the immune system learns to recognise and tolerate its own cells, revolutionising our understanding of immunity and rejection.
In 1957, Burnet published his theory of clonal selection of immunity in an obscure research journal. He also developed a model, called the clonal selection theory of antibody formation, which explains how the body can recognise and respond to a vast array of foreign antigens. The theory states that when an antigen enters the body, it does not induce the formation of an antibody specific to itself. Instead, it binds to one unique antibody selected from a wide range of antibodies produced early in the organism's life.
Australia: A Great Immigration Destination?
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Burnet's theory of clonal selection
In 1960, Sir Frank Macfarlane Burnet won the Nobel Prize in Medicine for his work on immunological discovery. He was the first Australian to win a Nobel Prize for work undertaken within Australia.
Burnet's theory provided a new way of looking at rogue lymphocytes, seeing them as 'forbidden clones' which had disobeyed the general rules of self-recognition. It also offered a new understanding of the basis of immunity, which became vital in the field of organ transplants. Prior to Burnet's work, it was thought that immunity was related to the nature of an individual's blood.
Burnet's theory was soon verified by his protégé, Dr Gus Nossal, and Professor Joshua Lederberg, who showed that a single immune cell can only make a single type of antibody. This provided the first experimental proof of Burnet's theory.
Church Tax Exemptions: Australian Rates and Exemptions
You may want to see also
Explore related products
The 1960 Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine
In 1960, the Australian virologist Sir Frank Macfarlane Burnet, known for his contributions to immunology, won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. He shared the prize with Peter Brian Medawar for their discovery of acquired immunological tolerance. Burnet's theory, confirmed by Medawar, led to a new understanding of the immune system and became vital in the field of organ transplants.
Burnet's research focused on the question of how the human body distinguishes between existing micro-organisms and dangerous invaders. He studied the literature available on the subject and developed methods for growing viruses in chicken embryos inside eggs. He noticed that while normal hens could be infected with influenza and develop antibodies, chickens born from eggs with the virus did not raise an immune defence because their immune systems did not recognise the virus as foreign. This showed that when the immune system developed during the foetal stage, it recorded all proteins and micro-organisms in this enclosed environment as "self".
Burnet's theory of acquired immunological tolerance was first published in an obscure research journal in 1957. He further elaborated on the theory in his 1959 book, "The Clonal Selection Theory of Acquired Immunity". The theory predicted almost all of the key features of the immune system as we understand it today, including autoimmune disease, immune tolerance, and somatic hypermutation as a mechanism in antibody production. Burnet regarded his contributions to the theoretical understanding of the immune system as his greatest contribution to science.
Burnet's work on immunology was recognised by a 33-cent stamp released by Australia Post in 1975. He was also honoured with the renaming of Australia's largest communicable diseases research institute, which became the Macfarlane Burnet Centre for Medical Research. Additionally, the Burnet Clinical Research Unit of the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute was named after him in 1986. Burnet received numerous other awards and honours throughout his career, including 10 honorary D.Sc. degrees from universities such as Cambridge, Harvard, and Oxford, and prestigious medals from the Royal Society.
Formatting Australian Phone Numbers: A Quick Guide
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Burnet's work on virology
Sir Frank Macfarlane Burnet OM AK KBE FAA FRS, usually known as Macfarlane or Mac Burnet, was an Australian virologist and immunologist known for his contributions to immunology. He was the first Australian to win a Nobel Prize for work undertaken within Australia. He was also the most highly honoured scientist to work in Australia.
Burnet also made contributions of fundamental importance to knowledge of the genetic complexity of virus particles and the genetic interactions between related viruses that simultaneously infect the same cell. He discovered that the filamentous forms of some viruses, such as those that cause influenza and mumps, could be ruptured by suspending them in water. He suggested that the infectivity of these viruses was limited to their tips, indicating that these filamentous forms could be regarded as having an infective "warhead" composed of nucleic acid.
During the 1930s, Burnet developed methods for growing viruses in chicken embryos inside eggs. He noticed that while normal hens could be infected with influenza and develop antibodies, chickens born from eggs with the virus did not. This led to his discovery of acquired immunological tolerance, for which he won the Nobel Prize in 1960.
Australian Wildlife: Unique Habitat Animals
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Burnet's contribution to Australian medical science
Sir Frank Macfarlane Burnet was a Nobel Prize-winning medical scientist from Australia. In 1960, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in medicine for his work on acquired immunological tolerance, sharing the award with Sir Peter Brian Medawar. This discovery revolutionised the understanding of immunity and rejection, showing that the immune system learns to recognise and tolerate its own cells.
Burnet's work on immunology built upon his earlier research on virology. During the 1930s and 1940s, he studied influenza viruses and developed methods for growing viruses in chicken embryos inside eggs. He noticed that while normal hens could be infected with influenza and develop antibodies, chickens born from eggs injected with the virus did not. This led to his discovery of "acquired immunological tolerance", where the immune system learns to recognise and tolerate its own cells during the foetal stage. Burnet's research also contributed to the understanding of how the influenza virus works, particularly how mutations to the virus occur, which is a precursor to epidemics.
Burnet's contributions to Australian medical science extended beyond his Nobel Prize-winning work. He was the director of the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute (WEHI) of Medical Research in Melbourne from 1944 to 1965, during which time WEHI became one of the leading medical research institutes in the world and the world centre of research into immunology. Under his leadership, WEHI contributed over 50% of the scientific literature on immunology. Burnet also made significant improvements to the speed with which vaccines can be manufactured. Additionally, he played a crucial role in addressing a diphtheria outbreak in Bundaberg, Queensland, in 1928, discovering that the deaths of 12 children after diphtheria vaccinations were caused by 'Staphylococcus aureus'.
Burnet's commitment to Australian medical science is further demonstrated by his decision to remain in Australia throughout his 60-year career, despite receiving lucrative offers from leading research institutes in the UK and US. His practical and experimental approach to research, combined with his ability to think laterally across diverse fields of knowledge, has left a lasting impact on the field of Australian medical science.
Tasmania: Australia's Driest State?
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
Sir Frank Macfarlane Burnet won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1960 for his work on immune defence research.
Burnet's research led to a new understanding of the immune system, paving the way for modern organ transplants.
Burnet's research focused on the discovery of acquired immunological tolerance, which explains how the human body recognises the difference between existing micro-organisms and dangerous invaders.
