An Inverness-born science graduate from the University of Aberdeen and former member of staff at the Medical School has gone on to develop a successful career and secure a major award in the USA
Angus Thomson, Professor of Surgery and of Molecular Genetics and Biochemistry and Director of Transplant Immunology at the University of Pittsburgh’s Thomas E Starzl Transplantation Institute, graduated from the University of Aberdeen in 1970, adding a PhD and then DSc to his achievements in 1975 and 1986. He was on the staff of the Department of Pathology until his appointment to the University of Pittsburgh in 1990.
Building on a very successful career in the USA, he has just won the American Society of Transplantation (AST)-Novartis Established Investigator Award which is presented to distinguished clinical or basic scientists in the field of transplantation. He received his award last week in Chicago at the first joint meeting of the American Society of Transplant Surgeons and the American Society of Transplantation. He has also been appointed to the Board of Directors of the AST.
Professor Thomson has conducted pioneering work on the role of dendretic cells (star-shaped white blood cells) as regulators of immune reactivity and he is currently evaluating the role of these cells in transplant tolerance and rejection.
At present, transplant patients need to be on life-long drug treatment to prevent rejection of their new organs. Understanding more about dendritic cells and how they can be used to control rejection may allow doctors safely stop anti-rejection drugs that often have harmful side effects.
Professor Thomson has been involved for many years in the evaluation of new immunosuppressive agents and his current interests include methods to detect and induce tolerance and the feasibility of gene therapy to control organ rejection. His research group is funded by the US National Institutes of Health.
Professor Thomson said: “The University of Aberdeen provided valuable opportunities and resources to launch a career in medical research and I have very pleasant memories of my days at Marischal and King’s Colleges and at Foresterhill.”
Professor Thomson, an only child and former pupil of Inverness Royal Academy, occasionally still comes back to visit relatives in the Inverness area. He and his wife, Robyn, have a son and two daughters (both born in Aberdeen).
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