Person Humphrey; John Herbert (1915 - 1987); immunologist; medical scientist Humphrey John Herbert immunologist; medical scientist 1915 - 1987 British Male West Byfleet, Surrey, England, United Kingdom 16 December 1915 19151216 Ducklake House, his country home in Ashwell, near Baldock, Hertfordshire, England, United Kingdom 25 December 1987 19871225

Immunologist and medical scientist Immunopathology Medicine Clinical immunology Immunology Education: International School, Lausanne, Switzerland; Bramcote preparatory school, Yorkshire; Winchester College; Trinity College, Cambridge BA Cantab(1931); University College Hospital medical school, London (UCHMS) MB, BChir (1940) MD (1947) Career: His first clinical appointment at the British Postgraduate Medical School, Hammersmith, was interrupted by a bout of bronchitis which transpired to be tuberculosis and following recovery he was Jenner research fellow at the Lister Institute of Preventive Medicine, Stanmore, Middlesex, carrying out microbiological studies (1941-2); assistant pathologist at the Central Middlesex Hospital (1942); obtained an external Medical Research Council appointment in microbiology at UCHMS to work on bacterial enzymes (1946); joined the National Institute for Medical Research (NIMR) at Hampstead (later at Mill Hill) as a member of the scientific staff in the division of biological standards(1949); deputy director of a newly founded immunology department at NIMR (1961-1976); Member of Governing Body, Winchester College (1967-1979); chair of immunology at the Royal Postgraduate Medical School, Hammersmith (1961-1981). Honours: CBE 1970 Memberships: FRCP American Association of Immunologists Institute of Biology American Academy of Arts and Sciences American National Academy of Sciences Honorary Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge Parents: Herbert Alfred Humphrey (1868–1951), inventor and co-founder of Imperial Chemical Industries (ICI) at Billingham, co. Durham, and Mary Elizabeth Horniblow. Spouse: (m. 1939) Janet Rumney, daughter of Professor Archibald Vivian Hill CH FRS, Nobel laureate in physiology, and Margaret Neville, née Keynes. Children: Two sons and three daughters. Remembered for his outstanding studies of antibody synthesis. By experiments in vivo (underlined) and in vivo (underlined), with the skiful application of isotopic labelling techniques, he has revealed new and precise information of great importance regarding the sites and rates of antibody production and the part played by the various antibody-forming tissues at different stages of the immunisation process. Made advances in the study of analphylaxis and delayed hypersensitivity. Carried oit studies on hyaluronidase, development of a theory of the plate assay of antibiotics and its application to standardisation problems, analysis of Arthus reactions, and studies of the biochemistry of plasma proteins. Alongside science, he passionately pursued his concern for many socio-political issues, becoming founder member of the Medical Association for the Prevention of War and the Medical Campaign against Nuclear Weapons, president of the Society for the Protection of Science and Learning (from 1978), and a supporter of Pugwash (a group of international scientists dedicated to preventing nuclear war). Fellow 21/03/1963 47 Robert Russell Race John Davidson Peter Alfred Gorer Peter Brian Medawar Arthur Wormall Walter Thomas James Morgan Richard Laurence Millington Synge Alan Watt Downie Norman Wingate Pirie Albert Neuberger Alan Nigel Drury Samuel Phillips Bedson Christopher Howard Andrewes Rosaling Pitt-Rivers Gordon Roy Cameron Wilson Smith Charles Robert Harrington DNB Munk's Roll, Royal College of Physicians, Vol VIII, Pg 230, John Herbert Humphrey, [URL: https://history.rcp.ac.uk/inspiring-physicians/john-herbert-humphrey; last accessed: 24/10/2025] Obituaries: Biographical Memoirs of Fellows of the Royal Society 1990 vol 36 pp 273-300, plate, by Brigitte A Askonas References: A F Bristow, T Barrowcliffe and D R Bangham, 'Standardization of biological medicines: the first hundred years, 1900-2000' in NR 2006 vol 60 pp 271-289 Humphrey J H, IM002310.jpg International Standard Archival Authority Record for Corporate Bodies, Persons and Families - ISAAR(CPF) - Ottawa 1996 ISBN 0-9696035-3-3 National Council on Archives, Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997 https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsbm.1990.0033 https://royalsocietypublishing.org/action/doSearch?ContribAuthorRaw=Humphrey%2C+John+Herbert RCN 19088 RCN 19089 https://pictures.royalsociety.org/results?mi_search_type=adv&mi_adv_search=yes&adv_person_id=AUTH4385 16 Dec 1915 - 25 Dec 1987 The past Fellows entries are under continuous revision. If you have queries or additional information to contribute, please contact Library@royalsociety.org. Content in external sources is not controlled by the Royal Society and historical sources may include content that is now unacceptable. Reviewed on 30/07/2025 as part of the Name Authority Project update. NA991 21/11/2001 Andyg Pmab 24/10/2025 RS_NET\VidaM Yes f039161d-5aae-473c-af11-7e263788eeec