Homepage

Record

RefNoEC/1980/17
Previous numbersCert XX, 194
LevelItem
TitleJerne, Niels Kaj: certificate of election to the Royal Society
Date1979
DescriptionCitation typed
CitationDistinguished especially for theoretical contributions which have greatly influenced immunology. He first proposed in 1955 a natural selection theory of antibody formation based on selection of antibody molecules by antigens, which was the original stimulus of the clonal selection hypotheses of Talmage and Burnet, now recognized as essentially correct. In 1971 he proposed that antibody diversity was in part due to somatic mutation in and selection of clones of lymphocytes expressing genes coding for receptors capable of recognizing self - but not allo-histocompatibility antigens. This was followed by his 'network' hypothesis (1974) which proposed that all antibody molecules can elicit an antibody response against specific combining sites (idiotypes) so that any immune response in turn gives rise to an extending network of regulatory responses. His experimental contributions to immunology include an important method for detecting antibody production by individual living cells which has since been the basis for much of the quantitative work in experimental immunology. As the originator of the Immunology Unit of the World Health Organization and later as initiator and Director of the Basel Institute of Immunology his practical as well as theoretical influence on the development of immunology has been quite outstanding.
AccessStatusClosed
Fellows associated with this archive
CodePersonNameDates
NA2128Jerne; Niels Kaj (1911 - 1994)1911 - 1994
Add to My Items
    Papers of Elsie Widdowson and Robert McCance

    Papers of Elsie Widdowson and Robert McCance

    Useful Links

    Collection highlights

    Browse the records of some of our collections, which cover all branches of science and date from the 12th century onwards. These include the published works of Fellows of the Royal Society, personal papers of eminent scientists, letters and manuscripts sent to the Society or presented at meetings, and administrative records documenting the Society's activities since our foundation in 1660.

    Papers of Robert Boyle
    Papers of Robert Boyle
    Papers of Elsie Widdowson and Robert McCance
    Papers of Elsie Widdowson and Robert McCance
    Botanical paintings by Jacob van Huysum and William Sartorius
    Botanical paintings by Jacob van Huysum and William Sartorius
    Photographs of British algae: cyanotype impressions
    Photographs of British algae: cyanotype impressions
    Browse Collections

    The Royal Society

    The Royal Society is a Fellowship of many of
    the world's most eminent scientists and is the
    oldest scientific academy in continuous existence.
    Registered charity number 207043

    Website design ©CalmView



    CONTACT US

    + 44 207 451 2500
    (Lines open Mon-Fri, 9:00-17:00. Excludes bank holidays)

    6-9 Carlton House Terrace, London SW1Y 5AG

    Email Us →

    SUBSCRIBE

    Subscribe to our newsletters to be updated with the
    latest news on innovation, events, articles and reports.

    Subscribe →

    © CalmView