Herman Waldmann
Encyclopedia
Herman Waldmann FRS FMedSci
(born 27 February 1945) is a British immunologist known for his work on therapeutic monoclonal antibodies. As of 2010, he heads the Sir William Dunn School of Pathology at the University of Oxford
.
from 1973, becoming head of the Immunology Division in 1989. In 1994, he took up the position of head of the Sir William Dunn School of Pathology at the University of Oxford
. He is a fellow of Lincoln College
.
Waldmann's research has focused on immunological tolerance
and the harnessing of tolerance mechanisms to treat autoimmune diseases and enable transplant acceptance. He is best known for his work on therapeutic monoclonal antibodies and their use to achieve tolerance, particularly Campath-1, now licensed as alemtuzumab
for the treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukemia
.
in 1990. He delivered the 1992 Bradshaw Lecture
at the Royal College of Physicians . In 1998, he became one of the first fellows of the Academy of Medical Sciences
. In 2008, he was awarded an honorary doctorate ScD(Hon) by the University of Cambridge.
Academy of Medical Sciences
The Academy of Medical Sciences is the United Kingdom's national academy of medical sciences. It was established in 1998 on the recommendation of a group that was chaired by Michael Atiyah. Its president is John Irving Bell....
(born 27 February 1945) is a British immunologist known for his work on therapeutic monoclonal antibodies. As of 2010, he heads the Sir William Dunn School of Pathology at the University of Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
.
Career and research
Waldmann worked in the Department of Pathology of the University of CambridgeUniversity of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
from 1973, becoming head of the Immunology Division in 1989. In 1994, he took up the position of head of the Sir William Dunn School of Pathology at the University of Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
. He is a fellow of Lincoln College
Lincoln College, Oxford
Lincoln College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. It is situated on Turl Street in central Oxford, backing onto Brasenose College and adjacent to Exeter College...
.
Waldmann's research has focused on immunological tolerance
Immune tolerance
Immune tolerance or immunological tolerance is the process by which the immune system does not attack an antigen. It can be either 'natural' or 'self tolerance', in which the body does not mount an immune response to self antigens, or 'induced tolerance', in which tolerance to external antigens can...
and the harnessing of tolerance mechanisms to treat autoimmune diseases and enable transplant acceptance. He is best known for his work on therapeutic monoclonal antibodies and their use to achieve tolerance, particularly Campath-1, now licensed as alemtuzumab
Alemtuzumab
Alemtuzumab is a monoclonal antibody used in the treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukemia , cutaneous T-cell lymphoma and T-cell lymphoma...
for the treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukemia
Chronic lymphocytic leukemia
B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia , also known as chronic lymphoid leukemia , is the most common type of leukemia. Leukemias are cancers of the white blood cells . CLL affects B cell lymphocytes. B cells originate in the bone marrow, develop in the lymph nodes, and normally fight infection by...
.
Awards and honours
Waldmann was elected a Fellow of the Royal SocietyRoyal 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"...
in 1990. He delivered the 1992 Bradshaw Lecture
Bradshaw Lecture
The Bradshaw Lectures are prestigious lectureships given at the invitation of the Royal College of Physicians and the Royal College of Surgeons of England....
at the Royal College of Physicians . In 1998, he became one of the first fellows of the Academy of Medical Sciences
Academy of Medical Sciences
The Academy of Medical Sciences is the United Kingdom's national academy of medical sciences. It was established in 1998 on the recommendation of a group that was chaired by Michael Atiyah. Its president is John Irving Bell....
. In 2008, he was awarded an honorary doctorate ScD(Hon) by the University of Cambridge.