John Irving Bell
Encyclopedia
Sir John Irving Bell, FRS
, PMedSci
(born 1 July 1952) is a Canadian immunologist and geneticist
who resides in the UK. As of 2008, he is President of the Academy of Medical Sciences
and holds the Regius Chair of Medicine
at Oxford University, UK.
, Canada
, Bell's parents worked in haematology and pharmacy
. He graduated from the University of Alberta
in 1975 and relocated to the UK that year to study medicine on a Rhodes Scholarship
at Oxford University. In 1982, he took up a position as Clinical Fellow in Immunology with Hugh McDevitt
at Stanford University
, California
, USA, where he worked on histocompatibility antigens and autoimmune disease
.
In 1987, Bell returned to Oxford as a Wellcome Trust
Senior Clinical Fellow, and joined the Institute of Molecular Medicine
, founded by David Weatherall
. In 1992, he succeeded Weatherall as the Nuffield Professor of Clinical Medicine and, in 2002, became the Regius Professor of Medicine
at Oxford, also after Weatherall. In 1994, Bell was one of the founders of the Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics at Oxford University. He is a fellow of Magdalen College, Oxford
.
(1997–2000). He was the founding director of three biotechnology
companies.
His charity positions include chairing the board of trustees of the Oxford Health Alliance
and the science committee of the UK Biobank
.
and rheumatoid arthritis
. His work has been important in elucidating the interactions on the surface of the T cell
involved in immune activation. He has also worked on the biomedical applications of high-throughput genomic technologies
, including structural genomics
and ENU
mutagenesis
.
in 2003. He was elected President of the Academy of Medical Sciences
in 2006. In 2008, he was elected a fellow of the Royal Society
, and was knighted for services to medicine in the New Year Honours
of that year.
Royal Society
The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
, PMedSci
Academy of Medical Sciences
The Academy of Medical Sciences is the United Kingdom's national academy of medical sciences. It was established in 1998 on the recommendation of a group that was chaired by Michael Atiyah. Its president is John Irving Bell....
(born 1 July 1952) is a Canadian immunologist and geneticist
Geneticist
A geneticist is a biologist who studies genetics, the science of genes, heredity, and variation of organisms. A geneticist can be employed as a researcher or lecturer. Some geneticists perform experiments and analyze data to interpret the inheritance of skills. A geneticist is also a Consultant or...
who resides in the UK. As of 2008, he is President of the Academy of Medical Sciences
Academy of Medical Sciences
The Academy of Medical Sciences is the United Kingdom's national academy of medical sciences. It was established in 1998 on the recommendation of a group that was chaired by Michael Atiyah. Its president is John Irving Bell....
and holds the Regius Chair of Medicine
Regius Professor of Medicine (Oxford)
The Regius Professor of Medicine is an appointment held at the University of Oxford. The chair was founded by Henry VIII of England by 1546, and until the 20th century the title was Regius Professor of Physic...
at Oxford University, UK.
Education and career
Born in EdmontonEdmonton
Edmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta and is the province's second-largest city. Edmonton is located on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Capital Region, which is surrounded by the central region of the province.The city and its census...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, Bell's parents worked in haematology and pharmacy
Pharmacy
Pharmacy is the health profession that links the health sciences with the chemical sciences and it is charged with ensuring the safe and effective use of pharmaceutical drugs...
. He graduated from the University of Alberta
University of Alberta
The University of Alberta is a public research university located in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Founded in 1908 by Alexander Cameron Rutherford, the first premier of Alberta and Henry Marshall Tory, its first president, it is widely recognized as one of the best universities in Canada...
in 1975 and relocated to the UK that year to study medicine on a Rhodes Scholarship
Rhodes Scholarship
The Rhodes Scholarship, named after Cecil Rhodes, is an international postgraduate award for study at the University of Oxford. It was the first large-scale programme of international scholarships, and is widely considered the "world's most prestigious scholarship" by many public sources such as...
at Oxford University. In 1982, he took up a position as Clinical Fellow in Immunology with Hugh McDevitt
Hugh McDevitt
Hugh O'Neill McDevitt ForMemRS is a Professor of Microbiology and Immunology at Stanford University School of Medicine.- Academic career:...
at Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, USA, where he worked on histocompatibility antigens and autoimmune disease
Autoimmune disease
Autoimmune diseases arise from an overactive immune response of the body against substances and tissues normally present in the body. In other words, the body actually attacks its own cells. The immune system mistakes some part of the body as a pathogen and attacks it. This may be restricted to...
.
In 1987, Bell returned to Oxford as a Wellcome Trust
Wellcome Trust
The Wellcome Trust was established in 1936 as an independent charity funding research to improve human and animal health. With an endowment of around £13.9 billion, it is the United Kingdom's largest non-governmental source of funds for biomedical research...
Senior Clinical Fellow, and joined the Institute of Molecular Medicine
Institute of Molecular Medicine
An Institute of Molecular Medicine, or IMM for short, may refer to a scientific research institution in molecular medicine:Norway*Department of Cancer research and Molecular Medicine at the The Norwegian University of Science and Technology....
, founded by David Weatherall
David Weatherall
Sir David John Weatherall is a British physician and researcher in molecular genetics, haematology, pathology and clinical medicine....
. In 1992, he succeeded Weatherall as the Nuffield Professor of Clinical Medicine and, in 2002, became the Regius Professor of Medicine
Regius Professor of Medicine (Oxford)
The Regius Professor of Medicine is an appointment held at the University of Oxford. The chair was founded by Henry VIII of England by 1546, and until the 20th century the title was Regius Professor of Physic...
at Oxford, also after Weatherall. In 1994, Bell was one of the founders of the Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics at Oxford University. He is a fellow of Magdalen College, Oxford
Magdalen College, Oxford
Magdalen College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. As of 2006 the college had an estimated financial endowment of £153 million. Magdalen is currently top of the Norrington Table after over half of its 2010 finalists received first-class degrees, a record...
.
Directorships, consulting and charity positions
Bell has been a non-executive director of Roche since 2001. He serves on the scientific advisory board of Roche Palo Alto (from 1998), and formerly served on that of AstraZenecaAstraZeneca
AstraZeneca plc is a global pharmaceutical and biologics company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the world's seventh-largest pharmaceutical company measured by revenues and has operations in over 100 countries...
(1997–2000). He was the founding director of three biotechnology
Biotechnology
Biotechnology is a field of applied biology that involves the use of living organisms and bioprocesses in engineering, technology, medicine and other fields requiring bioproducts. Biotechnology also utilizes these products for manufacturing purpose...
companies.
His charity positions include chairing the board of trustees of the Oxford Health Alliance
Oxford Health Alliance
The Oxford Health Alliance is a charitable organisation based in London, UK, and with a global network of participants. Its aim is to reduce the global impact of the epidemic of four major chronic diseases – diabetes, heart disease, lung diseases and some cancers – which are caused by three risk...
and the science committee of the UK Biobank
UK Biobank
UK Biobank is a large long-term biobank study in the United Kingdom which is investigating the respective contributions of genetic predisposition and environmental exposure to the development of disease...
.
Research
Bell's research has identified genes involved in susceptibility to diabetes mellitus type 1Diabetes mellitus type 1
Diabetes mellitus type 1 is a form of diabetes mellitus that results from autoimmune destruction of insulin-producing beta cells of the pancreas. The subsequent lack of insulin leads to increased blood and urine glucose...
and rheumatoid arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic, systemic inflammatory disorder that may affect many tissues and organs, but principally attacks synovial joints. The process produces an inflammatory response of the synovium secondary to hyperplasia of synovial cells, excess synovial fluid, and the development...
. His work has been important in elucidating the interactions on the surface of the T cell
T cell
T cells or T lymphocytes belong to a group of white blood cells known as lymphocytes, and play a central role in cell-mediated immunity. They can be distinguished from other lymphocytes, such as B cells and natural killer cells , by the presence of a T cell receptor on the cell surface. They are...
involved in immune activation. He has also worked on the biomedical applications of high-throughput genomic technologies
High-throughput screening
High-throughput screening is a method for scientific experimentation especially used in drug discovery and relevant to the fields of biology and chemistry. Using robotics, data processing and control software, liquid handling devices, and sensitive detectors, High-Throughput Screening allows a...
, including structural genomics
Structural genomics
Structural genomics seeks to describe the 3-dimensional structure of every protein encoded by a given genome. This genome-based approach allows for a high-throughput method of structure determination by a combination of experimental and modeling approaches...
and ENU
ENU
ENU, also known as N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea , is a highly potent mutagen. For a given gene in mice, ENU can induce 1 new mutation in every 700 loci. It is also toxic at high doses....
mutagenesis
Mutagenesis
Mutagenesis is a process by which the genetic information of an organism is changed in a stable manner, resulting in a mutation. It may occur spontaneously in nature, or as a result of exposure to mutagens. It can also be achieved experimentally using laboratory procedures...
.
Awards and honours
Bell was awarded an honorary D.Sc. by the University of AlbertaUniversity of Alberta
The University of Alberta is a public research university located in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Founded in 1908 by Alexander Cameron Rutherford, the first premier of Alberta and Henry Marshall Tory, its first president, it is widely recognized as one of the best universities in Canada...
in 2003. He was elected President of the Academy of Medical Sciences
Academy of Medical Sciences
The Academy of Medical Sciences is the United Kingdom's national academy of medical sciences. It was established in 1998 on the recommendation of a group that was chaired by Michael Atiyah. Its president is John Irving Bell....
in 2006. In 2008, he was elected a fellow of the Royal Society
Royal Society
The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
, and was knighted for services to medicine in the New Year Honours
New Year Honours 2008
The New Year Honours 2008 for the Commonwealth Realms were announced on 29 December 2007, to celebrate the year passed and mark the beginning of 2008....
of that year.