| RefNo | EC/1976/24 |
| Previous numbers | Cert XX, 24; A04568 |
| Level | Item |
| Title | Mackaness, George Bellamy: certificate of election to the Royal Society |
| Date | 1971 |
| Description | Citation typed |
| Citation | Mackaness has made two important contributions to biomedical science. In 1949 he developed an invitro method of studying macrophage-parasite interactions and showed that some antituberculous drugs had no effect on intracellular bacteria. During the subsequent twenty years he has, almost single-handed, elucidated the puzzling problems of the nature of immunity to tuberculosis. This solution is of wide importance, since colleagues have shown that it applied to recovery mechanisms in generalized viral infections and the same mechanism may play a key role in immunity to generalized protozoal infections. In essence immunity to tubercle bacilli and other intracellular bacteria is cell-mediated, and depends upon the interaction of a special class of short-lived small lymphocytes and blood monocytes.
In all his work Mackaness has demonstrated superb technical skill, a capacity of persistence in the study of a problem that has puzzled biologists since 1884, and skilful experimental design. He is now proving a very successful director of a small research institute in North America. |
| AccessStatus | Closed |
Fellows associated with this archive
| Code | PersonName | Dates |
| NA4194 | Mackaness; George Bellamy (1922 - 2007) | 1922 - 2007 |