1. RALPH STEINMAN Presented by: Alden Parker 2/25/15
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/steinman-nobel-laureate-explains-discovery-dendritic-cells/
http://www.medicineatyale.org/julyaug2006/news/newsarticles/61038
2. BIOGRAPHY Jan 14, 1943 Sep 30, 2011 From Montreal, Qubec,
Canada Son of Ashkenazi Jewish Haberdasher, interest in Science
began in High School 1963 - B.S. McGill University 1968 - M.D.
Harvard Medical School, Learned about Cell Bio/Immunology in
Elizabeth Betty Hays Lab 1970 - Residency/Internship Mass. Gen.
Hospital met Claudia Hoeffl, married in 1971, 3 children, 3
grandchildren 1971 - Post-Doc Rockefeller University, NYC: Asst.
Prof. 1972, Assoc. Prof. 1976, Prof. 1988 1995 - Named Henry Kunkel
Professor of Immunology 1998 - Director of Christopher Browne
Center for immunology and immune diseases 1999 2011 won many awards
for his immunological research
http://www.theflagstore.ca/store/shop/sewn-nylon-canadian-flag/
http://06880danwoog.com/2011/10/26/remembering-ralph-steinman/
http://www.anatomy.org/content/elizabeth-hay-photo-gallery
3. EARLY RESEARCH Joined Lab of Cellular Phys. & Immunology
headed by Zanvil Cohn and James Hirsch Lab was founded by
microbiologist Ren Dubos, who recognized the need to study the host
in immunology Think globally. Act Locally. With Cohn, wanted to
understand how white cells ID, obtain, and eliminate infectious
pathogens and tumor cells Questions: What tells the immune system
to respond? How is the immune system so precise in its response to
pathogens?
http://www.nature.com/nm/journal/v13/n10/fig_tab/nm1643_F2.html
4. MAJOR DISCOVERY, CONTINUED DC RESEARCH Discovered dendritic
cells (DCs) in mouse spleen in Zanvil Cohns lab at Rockefeller
University in 1973 Distinguished DCs from macrophages by
morphological and surface expression characterization of both (DCs
not adherent, express MHC-II, no Fc receptors, no phagocytosis) IDd
the DC as sentinel for and conduit between innate and adaptive
immune responses. Controllers that create and curtail immunity.
Displayed that DCs are the main initiators of T-Cell mediated
immune responses Most of his findings were not widely accepted
until the mid-1990s
5. MORE FINDINGS & THEORIES Took DC findings and applied
them to human disease: DC and Immune- based vaccines for graft
rejection, tumor resistance, autoimmunity, & pathogen
infection. 2010 phase I clinical trial of DC-targeted HIV vaccine
Developed DC enrichment from progenitors and IDd DCs in other
tissue types Macrophages mediate innate immunity via phagocytosis
and intracellular killing Antibodies mediate adaptive immunity by
neutralizing microbial toxins DCs integrate innate and adaptive
responses
6. DENDRITIC CELL MACROPHAGE Behnsen et al., 2007
7. DEATH Diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2007 Self
Treatment was based on his own research, lived a relatively healthy
life for 4 years after diagnosis! (~95% of diagnosed patients die
within 12 months) Piece of his tumor grown in cell culture to
produce antigenhis blood used to create DCs against antigen. DCs
were charged with RNA from tumor. Used with ~7 other therapies
(chemo, surgery, cancer growth inhibitors, etc.) 1 week before 2011
announcement, he joked with his daughter regarding the Nobel Prize,
They dont give it to you if you have passed away. I got to hold out
for that. Died 3 days before 2011 Nobel Prize announcements
8. 2011 NOBEL PRIZE IN PHYSIOLOGY OR MEDICINE Only recent Nobel
Laureate to receive the award posthumously Steinman got , the other
was split between Bruce Beutler and Jules Hoffman for discoveries
in innate immunity activation (TLRs)
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/science/science-news/8804713/Nobel-jury-left-red-faced-
by-death-of-laureate.html
9. LEGACY Mentored 100+ Post-Docs Published 450 scientific
papers Editor of J. Exp. Med. starting in 1978 Advising editor of
Hum. Immunol., J. Clin. Immunol., J. Immunol. Met., PNAS Highly
supportive of collaboration and interaction between different
laboratories Family donated Nobel Prize money to charity and to
Steinman scholarship program for young scientists His findings laid
the groundwork for new fields of research and novel therapies for
human disease, with an array of possibilities moving forward