Donald Metcalf
Encyclopedia
Emeritus Professor Donald Metcalf AC FRS FAA (born 26 February 1929) is an Australia
n medical researcher who spent most of his career at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research
in Melbourne
. In 1954, he received the Carden Fellowship from the Anti-Cancer Council of Victoria, a fellowship that he still holds as of 2011.
, and had his first experience of medical research in the laboratory of Professor Patrick de Burgh. In 1954 Metcalf was awarded up a Carden Fellowship from the Anti-Cancer Council of Victoria at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research
. There he initially studied virology
and leukemia
, later transitioning to hematology
. .
Metcalf's pioneering research revealed the control of blood cell
formation and the role of hematopoietic cytokines. In the 1960s he developed techniques to culture blood cells, which led to the discovery of colony-stimulating factors (CSFs), including macrophage colony-stimulating factor
, granulocyte colony-stimulating factor
and granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor. CSFs are cytokines that control white blood cell
formation and are responsible for resistance to infection. CSFs are now widely used to boost the immune system for patients receiving chemotherapy, and to mobilise blood stem cells for transplants.
His autobiography is Summon up the Blood: In dogged pursuit of the blood cell regulators (AlphaMed Press, Dayton, Ohio
, USA, 2000. ISBN 1-88085-428-7.)
. In the Queen's Birthday Honours of 1993, he was promoted to Companion of the Order.
Metcalf has been awarded many international prizes including the 1986 Royal Society
Wellcome Prize (now the GlaxoSmithKline Prize
), the 1987 Bristol-Myers Award for Distinguished Achievement in Cancer Research (jointly with Leo Sachs
), the 1998 Robert Koch Prize
, the 1988 Armand Hammer Prize for Cancer Research, the 1989 General Motors Cancer Foundation Sloan Prize, the 1993 Lasker-DeBakey Clinical Medical Research Award, the 1993 Louisa Gross Horwitz Prize
from Columbia University
, the 1994 Jessie Stevenson Kovalenko Medal
from the United States National Academy of Sciences
, the 1994 Gairdner Foundation International Award
, the 1995 Royal Society
Royal Medal
and, in 2007, a Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Association for Cancer Research
.
In Australia Metcalf has received the 2000 Victoria Prize, the 2001 Prime Minister's Prize for Science and a Centenary Medal.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n medical researcher who spent most of his career at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research
Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research
The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research is Australia's oldest medical research institute.In 2011, the institute is home to more than 650 researchers who are working to understand, prevent and treat diseases including blood, breast and ovarian cancers; inflammatory diseases such as...
in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
. In 1954, he received the Carden Fellowship from the Anti-Cancer Council of Victoria, a fellowship that he still holds as of 2011.
Scientific career
Metcalf studied medicine at the University of SydneyUniversity of Sydney
The University of Sydney is a public university located in Sydney, New South Wales. The main campus spreads across the suburbs of Camperdown and Darlington on the southwestern outskirts of the Sydney CBD. Founded in 1850, it is the oldest university in Australia and Oceania...
, and had his first experience of medical research in the laboratory of Professor Patrick de Burgh. In 1954 Metcalf was awarded up a Carden Fellowship from the Anti-Cancer Council of Victoria at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research
Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research
The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research is Australia's oldest medical research institute.In 2011, the institute is home to more than 650 researchers who are working to understand, prevent and treat diseases including blood, breast and ovarian cancers; inflammatory diseases such as...
. There he initially studied virology
Virology
Virology is the study of viruses and virus-like agents: their structure, classification and evolution, their ways to infect and exploit cells for virus reproduction, the diseases they cause, the techniques to isolate and culture them, and their use in research and therapy...
and leukemia
Leukemia
Leukemia or leukaemia is a type of cancer of the blood or bone marrow characterized by an abnormal increase of immature white blood cells called "blasts". Leukemia is a broad term covering a spectrum of diseases...
, later transitioning to hematology
Hematology
Hematology, also spelled haematology , is the branch of biology physiology, internal medicine, pathology, clinical laboratory work, and pediatrics that is concerned with the study of blood, the blood-forming organs, and blood diseases...
. .
Metcalf's pioneering research revealed the control of blood cell
Blood cell
A blood cell, also called a hematocyte, is a cell normally found in blood. In mammals, these fall into three general categories:* red blood cells — Erythrocytes* white blood cells — Leukocytes* platelets — Thrombocytes...
formation and the role of hematopoietic cytokines. In the 1960s he developed techniques to culture blood cells, which led to the discovery of colony-stimulating factors (CSFs), including macrophage colony-stimulating factor
Macrophage colony-stimulating factor
Macrophage colony-stimulating factor, or M-CSF, is a secreted cytokine which influences hematopoietic stem cells to differentiate into macrophages or other related cell types. Eukaryotic cells also produce M-CSF in order to combat intercellular viral infection. M-CSF binds to the Colony...
, granulocyte colony-stimulating factor
Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor
Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor is a colony-stimulating factor hormone. G-CSF is also known as colony-stimulating factor 3 ....
and granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor. CSFs are cytokines that control white blood cell
White blood cell
White blood cells, or leukocytes , are cells of the immune system involved in defending the body against both infectious disease and foreign materials. Five different and diverse types of leukocytes exist, but they are all produced and derived from a multipotent cell in the bone marrow known as a...
formation and are responsible for resistance to infection. CSFs are now widely used to boost the immune system for patients receiving chemotherapy, and to mobilise blood stem cells for transplants.
Personal Life
Metcalf has four daughters and six grandchildren. He currently lives in Melbourne with his wife, Josephine Metcalf.His autobiography is Summon up the Blood: In dogged pursuit of the blood cell regulators (AlphaMed Press, Dayton, Ohio
Dayton, Ohio
Dayton is the 6th largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Montgomery County, the fifth most populous county in the state. The population was 141,527 at the 2010 census. The Dayton Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 841,502 in the 2010 census...
, USA, 2000. ISBN 1-88085-428-7.)
Honours
In the Australia Day Honours of 1976, he was named an Officer (AO) of the Order of AustraliaOrder of Australia
The Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, "for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service"...
. In the Queen's Birthday Honours of 1993, he was promoted to Companion of the Order.
Metcalf has been awarded many international prizes including the 1986 Royal Society
Royal Society
The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
Wellcome Prize (now the GlaxoSmithKline Prize
GlaxoSmithKline Prize
The GlaxoSmithKline Prize and Lecture is awarded by the Royal Society of London "for original contributions to medical and veterinary sciences published within ten years from the date of the award". Sponsored by GlaxoSmithKline, the medal is awarded with a gift of £2500...
), the 1987 Bristol-Myers Award for Distinguished Achievement in Cancer Research (jointly with Leo Sachs
Leo Sachs
Leo Sachs is a German-born Israeli molecular biologist and cancer researcher. Born in Leipzig, he Emigrated to England in 1933, and to Israel in 1952...
), the 1998 Robert Koch Prize
Robert Koch Prize
The Robert Koch Medal and Award are two prizes awarded annually for excellence in the biomedical sciences. These awards grew out of early attempts by Robert Koch to generate funding to support his research into the cause and cure for tuberculosis...
, the 1988 Armand Hammer Prize for Cancer Research, the 1989 General Motors Cancer Foundation Sloan Prize, the 1993 Lasker-DeBakey Clinical Medical Research Award, the 1993 Louisa Gross Horwitz Prize
Louisa Gross Horwitz Prize
Louisa Gross Horwitz Prize for Biology or Biochemistry is an annual prize awarded by Columbia University to a researcher or group of researchers that have made an outstanding contribution in basic research in the fields of biology or biochemistry....
from Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
, the 1994 Jessie Stevenson Kovalenko Medal
Jessie Stevenson Kovalenko Medal
The Jessie Stevenson Kovalenko Medal is awarded by the U.S. National Academy of Sciences "for important contributions to the medical sciences." It was first awarded in 1952.- List of Jessie Stevenson Kovalenko Medal winners :*2010: Janet D. Rowley...
from the United States National Academy of Sciences
United States National Academy of Sciences
The National Academy of Sciences is a corporation in the United States whose members serve pro bono as "advisers to the nation on science, engineering, and medicine." As a national academy, new members of the organization are elected annually by current members, based on their distinguished and...
, the 1994 Gairdner Foundation International Award
Gairdner Foundation International Award
The Gairdner Foundation International Award is given annually at a special dinner to three to six people for outstanding discoveries or contributions to medical science. Receipt of the Gairdner is traditionally considered a precursor to winning the Nobel Prize in Medicine; as of 2007, 69 Nobel...
, the 1995 Royal Society
Royal Society
The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
Royal Medal
Royal Medal
The Royal Medal, also known as The Queen's Medal, is a silver-gilt medal awarded each year by the Royal Society, two for "the most important contributions to the advancement of natural knowledge" and one for "distinguished contributions in the applied sciences" made within the Commonwealth of...
and, in 2007, a Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Association for Cancer Research
American Association for Cancer Research
The American Association for Cancer Research is the world's oldest and largest professional association to advancing cancer research. Based in Philadelphia, AACR focuses on all aspects of cancer research including basic, clinical and translational research into the etiology, prevention, diagnosis,...
.
In Australia Metcalf has received the 2000 Victoria Prize, the 2001 Prime Minister's Prize for Science and a Centenary Medal.
External links
- Professor Don Metcalf lab page, the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research.
- Biography of Donald Metcalf, on the website of Alphamed Press.
- Interview with Professor Donald Metcalf conducted by Dr Max Blythe on 31 March 1998, in Video Histories of Australian Scientists, Australian Academy of Science, 2002
- Snapshots from the history of the Cancer Council Victoria
- 2001 Prime Minister's Prize for Science: Emeritus Professor Donald Metcalf
- The Official Site of Louisa Gross Horwitz Prize
- http://www.alphamedpress.org/misc/profile.shtml
- A prof's own adventure