Alan Munro

This article is about the British immunologist. For the Derby winning English jockey, see Alan Munro (jockey).
Alan Munro
Born 1937
Madras, India
Alma mater University of Cambridge
Doctoral advisor Asher Korner
Doctoral students Philippa Marrack
Known for autoimmune system

Alan James Munro (born 19 February 1937) is a British immunologist and entrepreneur.

Education and career

Munro was educated at the Edinburgh Academy.[1] He attended the University of Cambridge, specialising in biochemistry. His PhD in the area of protein synthesis was supervised by Asher Korner at the Department of Biochemistry (1964), and his early posts were in this department (1963–8).[1] His collaborators during this period include Tim Hunt.[2]

He joined the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology in Cambridge in 1968 to set up a cellular immunology programme. In 1971, he joined the Immunology Division of the Department of Pathology at the University of Cambridge. He spent sabbatical years at the Salk Institute, La Jolla, USA (1965–6) and University of Leiden, the Netherlands (1976–7). He became acting head of the Pathology Department in 1987.[1]

His research interests during this period included the regulation of the immune response[1] and the generation of therapeutic antibodies. He was instrumental in the early investigation of the Campath series of antibodies, which eventually resulted in the cancer treatment, alemtuzumab.[3][4]

In 1988, Munro spent a sabbatical year working in the biotechnology company Celltech.[1] He left the university in 1989 to co-found the highly successful Cambridge-based biotechnology company Immunology Ltd, later renamed Cantab Pharmaceuticals plc (now part of Celtic Pharma), specialising in therapeutic vaccines and immunotherapy, and he acted as its scientific director until 1995.[1] He was also Chairman of Lorantis Ltd, another Cambridge-based immunology company.

He served as Master of Christ's College, Cambridge 1995–2002, being particularly active in establishing the college's fundraising campaign for the 2005 quincentenary.[1]

As of 2006, Munro chairs the New Agents Committee of Cancer Research UK[5] and holds non-executive directorships of Blackwell Publishing Ltd and Paradigm Therapeutics.[6][7]

Personal life

Munro was born in Madras, India to John Bennet Lorimer Munro, CB, CMG and his wife Gladys. He married Mary Robertson in 1960; they have two sons.[1][8] His son Sean Munro, FRS is a cell biologist.[9]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 Sykes P (2002) Tribute to the retiring Master, Dr Alan Munro. Christ's College Magazine 227: 20–21
  2. ↑ Hunt T (2001) Protein synthesis, proteolysis, and cell cycle transitions: Nobel lecture
  3. ↑ Cambridge Therapeutic Antibody Links
  4. ↑ Hale G, Bright S, Chumbley G, Hoang T, Metcalf D, Munro AJ, Waldmann H (1983) Removal of T cells from bone marrow for transplantation: a monoclonal antilymphocyte antibody that fixes human complement. Blood 62:873–882 (PMID 6349718)
  5. ↑ Cancer Research UK Scientific Advisory Board
  6. ↑ Blackwell Publishing Board of Directors
  7. ↑ Paradigm Therapeutics Management
  8. ↑ Munro, Dr Alan James, Who's Who 2013 (accessed 16 January 2013) (subscription required)
  9. ↑ Munro, Dr (Bruce) Sean, Who's Who 2013 (accessed 16 January 2013) (subscription required)

External links

Academic offices
Preceded by
Hans Kornberg		 Master of Christ's College, Cambridge
1995–2002 		Succeeded by
Malcolm Bowie