Renowned immunologist returns to alma mater

One of the world’s leading immunologists will speak at a free University of Queensland public lecture next month.

Professor Jonathan Sprent from The Scripps Research Institute in California will discuss T cells and the thymus at the 2003 E.S. Meyers Memorial Lecture on Tuesday, July 15 at 6.45pm for 7pm in the UQ Centre Exhibition Hall, Union Rd, St Lucia campus.

A UQ medical graduate, Professor Sprent will discuss his latest research findings about the development of T cells in the thymus gland and their role within the immune system.

A recipient of the J Allyn Taylor International Prize in Medicine and a Fellow of the Royal Society, Professor Sprent has published more than 300 papers and serves on the editorial board of six journals.

He has served as a Councillor of the International Union of Immunological Societies and is a past President of the American Association of Immunologists.

The University of Queensland Medical Society (UQMS) has held the public lecture annually since 1957 to commemorate Professor Errol Solomon Meyers, co-founder of the University’s School of Medicine.

Previous speakers have included Professor Alan Trounson (human in-vitro fertilisation pioneer), Professor Earl Owen (microsurgeon responsible for the world’s first hand transplant), Sir Edmund Hillary (mountaineer and diplomat) and Professor Peter Doherty (1996 Nobel Prize winner for medicine).

People wanting to attend should telephone 07 3365 7045.

Media: For further information, contact the UQ Medical Society (telephone 07 3365 5261, email uqmedsoc@student.uq.edu.au) or Joanne van Zeeland at UQ Communications (telephone 07 3365 2619).