| Authorised form of name | Lachmann; Sir; Peter Julius (1931 - 2020) |
| Dates | 1931 - 2020 |
| Nationality | British |
| Place of birth | Berlin, Germany, Europe |
| Date of birth | 23/12/1931 |
| Date of death | 26/12/2020 |
| Occupation | Immunologist |
| Research field | Biology |
| Microbiology |
| Immunology |
| Disease |
| Pathogens |
| Genetics |
| Group behaviour |
| Ethics |
| Religion |
| Science policy |
| Activity | Education:
Christ's College, Finchley; University College Hosptial, MD (1956); University of Cambridge, PhD (1962), ScD (1974) in immunology
Career:
Fellow of Christ’s College, University of Cambridge, (1962-1971, 1976-2020); Professor and Head of Immunology, Royal Postgraduate Medical School, Hammersmith Hospital, London (1970-1976); Honorary Clinical Immunologist, Cambridge Health Authority, (1976-1999); Director, Unit on Tumour Immunology, Medical Research Cuncil Centre, Cambridge (1976-1999); Sheila Joan Smith Professor of Immunology (formerly Tumour Immunology), University of Cambridge, (1977-1999); member, UNESCO International Bioethics Committee, (1993-1998); helped produce the Royal Society's first report on GM crops 'Genetically Modified Plants for Food Use' (1998); Head, Microbial Immunology Group, Centre for Veterinary Science, Cambridge, (1999-2006); Emeritus Professor of Immunology, Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge; Keeper of the Bees, Christ's College, University of Cambridge
Honours:
Kt Bachelor 2002 for services to medical science
Memberships:
FMedSci (founder President 1998-2002); Royal College of Pathologists (President 1990-1993); British Society for Immunology; Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters; Indian National Science Academy (1997); Czech Academy of Medicine (2012)
Medals/Awards:
Gold Medal from the European Complement Network 1997; Europe Senior Prize of the Académie des Sciences de la Santé 2003 |
| Membership category | Fellow |
| Date of election | 18/03/1982 |
| Age at election | 50 |
| RSActivity | Royal Society roles:
Council: 1993-1998 ; Sec 1993-1998 ; VP 1993-1998
Committee and panels:
GlaxoSmithKline Prize Lecture and Committee (1987-1998) |
| Relationships | Doctoral supervisor of Mark Walport FRS |
| OtherInfo | Born to a secular Jewish Family in Berlin, left Nazi Germany aged 7 in 1938.
Peter Lachmann was an immunologist who investigated the mechanisms by which the immune system protects against pathogens. The same mechanisms cause inflammation and can give rise to disease. Peter was an expert on complement, a system that contributes largely to these mechanisms.
His research interests included the immunochemistry, biology and genetics of complement. His work in downregulating its central pathway promised to produce a treatment for the eye condition, age-related macular degeneration. He also studied immunopathology — the ways in which the immune system causes disease, with a special interest in systemic lupus erythematosus and allergy to insect stings.
Peter was founding President of the Academy of Medical Sciences and was active in policy and ethical aspects of medical science in a number of key areas such as vaccination policy, stem cell research and genetically modified crops. Peter received several international awards and was knighted in 2002.
Sir Peter Lachmann FMedSci FRS died on 26 December 2020. |
| Source | Sources:
Royal Society profile page https://royalsociety.org/people/peter-lachmann-11777/ (accessed 15 January 2021)
Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Lachmann (accessed 15 January 2021)
References:
Obituary, Trinity College Cambridge, 27 Dec: 2020 https://www.trin.cam.ac.uk/news/professor-sir-peter-julius-lachmann-frcp-frcpath-frs-fmedsci-1931-2020/ (accessed 20 January 2021)
Obituary - Professor Sir Peter Lachmann FRS FMedSci, Department of Veterinary Medicine, Cambridge, 6 Jan 2021 https://www.vet.cam.ac.uk/news/obituary (accesses 20 January 2021)
Very Sad News - Professor SiR Peter Lachmann FRS FMedSci, Christ's College, University of Cambridge, 27 Dec 2020
https://www.christs.cam.ac.uk/news/very-sad-news-professor-sir-peter-lachmann-frs-fmedsci (accessed 20 January 2021) |
| Virtual International Authority File | http://viaf.org/viaf/38340896 |
| Code | NA4481 |