Peter Medawar

Who was Peter Medawar?

Sir Peter Brian Medawar (; 28 February 1915 – 2 October 1987) was a Brazilian-born biologist and writer of Lebanese-British descent who, from a succession of research and teaching posts (Oxford through the Royal Institution), and senior U.K. biomedical leadership positions (MRC and RPMC), contributed seminal discoveries in immunology, including one honoured by a Nobel Prize to him and Australian Mac Burnet in 1960. For his scientific work, he has been termed the "father of transplantation". Medawar was the youngest child of a Lebanese father and a British mother, and a Brazilian and British citizen by birth. Sir Peter Brian Medawar was a Brazilian-born biologist and writer of Lebanese-British descent who, from a succession of research and teaching posts, and senior U.K. biomedical leadership positions, contributed seminal discoveries in immunology, including one honoured by a Nobel Prize to him and Australian Mac Burnet in 1960.

Medawar's works on the discovery of acquired immune tolerance, and on graft rejection, have been fundamental to the medical practice of tissue and organ transplants. Richard Dawkins referred to him as "the wittiest of all scientific writers"; Stephen Jay Gould as "the cleverest man I have ever known".

Historical significance

He is remembered, as well, for his wit, both in person and in his popular writings.