| RefNo | EC/2019/03 |
| Level | Item |
| Title | Besra, Gurdyal Singh: certificate of election to the Royal Society |
| Date | 28 March 2019 |
| Description | Certificate endorsing election of Gurdyal Besra as a Fellow of the Royal Society, including personal details of the elected Fellow and citing the reasons for election and names of proposers. Signed off by the Executive Director of the Royal Society, Julie Maxton. |
| Citation | Gurdyal (Del) Besra is an outstanding interdisciplinary scientist who blends biochemistry, chemistry, structural biology, microbiology and immunology and who delivers rigorous and impactful outputs. His contributions to our understanding of the structure and biosynthesis of the cell wall of the TB agent Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) are profound and have led to the identification of new drug targets and the identification of the drug targets of existing and new drug classes. This is extraordinarily important work, given that existing TB therapies leave much to be desired and are inducing resistance and that the disease still infects nearly nine million and causes the death of over one million people each year. Exemplars of his elegant contributions include: (i) Delineating arabinogalactan, lipoarabinomannan and alpha-glucan synthesis in MTB and identifying the target of ethambutol (a front-line TB drug). (ii) Delineating the biosynthesis of mycolic acids in MTB and determining the modes of action of existing widely used drugs (eg. isoniazid) and newer mycolate inhibitors. (iii) Advancing our understanding of the structural requirements for lipid antigen recognition by CD1-restricted T-cells. The latter contribution has been collaborative but the contribution of Besra is immediately identifiable and unique, namely the provision of structurally defined lipidic species which this field of immunology so badly needed to advance our understanding of the immunopathogenesis of lipid antigen recognition via CD1 proteins, and the use of lipid antigens for novel immunotherapeutics and/or as adjuvants for vaccine development. Any one of these achievements is impressive; to have contributed so effectively and with such originality to all three is truly exceptional. |
| Extent | 4p |
| Format | Computer printout |
| PhysicalDescription | A4 papers |
| AccessStatus | Closed |
| AccessConditions | Election certificates are subject to 50 year closure period from date of election. Details of proposers are kept confidential until the 50 year closure period has elapsed. |