Malik Peiris
Encyclopedia
Joseph Malik Sriyal Peiris (born 10 November 1949), FRS, Légion d'Honneur
was born in Sri Lanka , a distinguished old boy of St. Anthony's College, Kandy and later studied medicine at the University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka. This was followed by the award of a PhD at the William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford
, U.K.
, where he made significant discoveries on the mechanism of dengue virus pathogenesis. After further work in the U.K. and Sri Lanka, he founded a virology laboratory at Queen Mary Hospital, (which is part of the University of Hong Kong ), in 1995.
s when it infects a type of white blood cell. This was later shown to correlate with high levels of cytokines in infected humans. This so-called "cytokine storm
" is now recognised as a major mechanism of avian influenza virus pathogenesis.
. Malik became known worldwide when his laboratory was the first to isolate the virus, a novel coronavirus (CoV), now known as SARS-CoV.
Joseph Malik Sriyal Peiris, PhD
, has been the scientific director of the HKU-Pasteur Research Centre at the University of Hong Kong.
Malik Peiris is also notable for having isolated the causal agent for the respiratory infection SARS
in early 2003.
. He is the first Sri Lankan to be elected to the Royal Society
of London
, the highest scientific honour in the Commonwealth. He was decorated as Knight of the Légion d'Honneur
of France
on October 15, 2007 . He was awarded the Silver Bauhinia Star (SBS) in 2008 from the government of Hong Kong SAR for "outstanding achievements in the field of virology and pathology, in particular his contribution to the prevention and control of infectious diseases."
Légion d'honneur
The Legion of Honour, or in full the National Order of the Legion of Honour is a French order established by Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul of the Consulat which succeeded to the First Republic, on 19 May 1802...
was born in Sri Lanka , a distinguished old boy of St. Anthony's College, Kandy and later studied medicine at the University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka. This was followed by the award of a PhD at the William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
, U.K.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, where he made significant discoveries on the mechanism of dengue virus pathogenesis. After further work in the U.K. and Sri Lanka, he founded a virology laboratory at Queen Mary Hospital, (which is part of the University of Hong Kong ), in 1995.
Avian Influenza
After the first outbreak of avian influenza virus H5N1 in humans in Hong Kong in 1997, Professor Peiris's attention was turned to the virus, which claimed the lives of one third of its victims. Research in his laboratory showed that the virus induces high levels of chemicals called cytokineCytokine
Cytokines are small cell-signaling protein molecules that are secreted by the glial cells of the nervous system and by numerous cells of the immune system and are a category of signaling molecules used extensively in intercellular communication...
s when it infects a type of white blood cell. This was later shown to correlate with high levels of cytokines in infected humans. This so-called "cytokine storm
Cytokine storm
A cytokine storm, or hypercytokinemia is a potentially fatal immune reaction consisting of a positive feedback loop between cytokines and immune cells, with highly elevated levels of various cytokines.-Symptoms:...
" is now recognised as a major mechanism of avian influenza virus pathogenesis.
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS)
In 2003, Hong Kong suffered another virus outbreak, this time from an unknown respiratory disease, termed SARSSevere acute respiratory syndrome
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome is a respiratory disease in humans which is caused by the SARS coronavirus . Between November 2002 and July 2003 an outbreak of SARS in Hong Kong nearly became a pandemic, with 8,422 cases and 916 deaths worldwide according to the WHO...
. Malik became known worldwide when his laboratory was the first to isolate the virus, a novel coronavirus (CoV), now known as SARS-CoV.
Joseph Malik Sriyal Peiris, PhD
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
, has been the scientific director of the HKU-Pasteur Research Centre at the University of Hong Kong.
Malik Peiris is also notable for having isolated the causal agent for the respiratory infection SARS
Severe acute respiratory syndrome
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome is a respiratory disease in humans which is caused by the SARS coronavirus . Between November 2002 and July 2003 an outbreak of SARS in Hong Kong nearly became a pandemic, with 8,422 cases and 916 deaths worldwide according to the WHO...
in early 2003.
Honours
Malik continues to work at the University of Hong Kong and was appointed scientific director of the Hong Kong University-Pasteur InstitutePasteur Institute
The Pasteur Institute is a French non-profit private foundation dedicated to the study of biology, micro-organisms, diseases, and vaccines. It is named after Louis Pasteur, who made some of the greatest breakthroughs in modern medicine at the time, including pasteurization and vaccines for anthrax...
. He is the first Sri Lankan to be elected to 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"...
of London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, the highest scientific honour in the Commonwealth. He was decorated as Knight of the Légion d'Honneur
Légion d'honneur
The Legion of Honour, or in full the National Order of the Legion of Honour is a French order established by Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul of the Consulat which succeeded to the First Republic, on 19 May 1802...
of France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
on October 15, 2007 . He was awarded the Silver Bauhinia Star (SBS) in 2008 from the government of Hong Kong SAR for "outstanding achievements in the field of virology and pathology, in particular his contribution to the prevention and control of infectious diseases."
External links
- "Features", Daily News (online), June 2006, webpage: DailyNews-fea01: contains "Following the discovery of the cause of SARS, Professor Peiris was invited...".
- "HKU ResearcherPage: Peiris, JSM", The HKU Scholars Hub (online database), webpage: http://hub.hku.hk/rp/rp00410