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{{Infobox scientist
{{Cleanup bare URLs}}{{Infobox scientist
| name = Brigitte Askonas
| name = Ita Askonas
| honorific_suffix = [[Fellow of the Royal Society|FRS]] (1973)<br/>[[FMedSci]]
| honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals|country=GBR|FRS|FMedSci|size=100%}}
| image =
| image =
| image_size =
| image_size =
Line 10: Line 10:
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2013|01|09|1923|04|01|df=yes}}
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2013|01|09|1923|04|01|df=yes}}
| death_place =
| death_place =
| workplaces = [[John Radcliffe Hospital]]<br>[[University of Cambridge]]<br>[[Harvard Medical School]]<ref name="whoswho"/><br>[[Imperial College London]]<br>[[McGill University]]<br>[[National Institute for Medical Research]]
| workplaces = [[John Radcliffe Hospital]]<br>[[University of Cambridge]]<br>[[Harvard Medical School]]<ref name=whoswho/><br>[[Imperial College London]]<br>[[McGill University]]<br>[[National Institute for Medical Research]]
| alma_mater = [[McGill University]] (BSc, MSc)<br/>[[Girton College, Cambridge]] (PhD)
| alma_mater = [[McGill University]] (BSc, MSc)<br/>[[University of Cambridge]] (PhD) <!--Girton College, Cambridge does NOT award degrees-->
| thesis_title = The separation of enzymes by means of organic solvents at low temperatures: application to aqueous rabbit-muscle extract with a study of creatine-phosphokinase
| thesis_title = The separation of enzymes by means of organic solvents at low temperatures: application to aqueous rabbit-muscle extract with a study of creatine-phosphokinase
| thesis_url = https://search.proquest.com/docview/301230275?accountid=13042
| thesis_url = https://search.proquest.com/docview/301230275
| thesis_year = 1952
| thesis_year = 1952
| doctoral_students = [[Andrew McMichael]]<ref name=rsbm/><br>[[Alain Townsend]]<ref name=tphd>{{cite thesis|degree=PhD|title=Recognition of influenza virus specific cytotoxic T cell clones|year=1984|publisher=University of London|url=https://catalogue.libraries.london.ac.uk/record=b1528298|website=london.ac.uk|first=Alain Robert Michael|last=Townsend|id={{copac| 34553445}}|oclc=941030873}}</ref>
| doctoral_students = [[Andrew James McMichael]], [[Alain Townsend]]
| doctoral_advisor = [[Malcolm Dixon]]
| doctoral_advisor = [[Malcolm Dixon]]<ref name=aphd/>
| awards = [[Robert Koch Prize]] {{small|(Gold, 2007)}}
| awards = [[Robert Koch Prize]] (2007)<br>Member of the [[National Academy of Sciences]] (2007)<ref name=nas/>
}}
}}


'''Brigitte Alice "Ita" Askonas''', [[Academy of Medical Sciences|FMedSci]] [[Royal Society|FRS]] (1 April 1923 – 9 January 2013) was a British [[immunologist]]. She was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1973,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://royalsociety.org/about-us/fellowship/fellows|title=Lists of Royal Society Fellows 1660–2007|publisher=The Royal Society|accessdate=6 July 2012|location=London, UK}}</ref> and was a visiting professor at [[Imperial College London]] from 1995.<ref name="whoswho">{{cite web|url=http://www.ukwhoswho.com/view/article/oupww/whoswho/U5882|title=‘ASKONAS, Brigitte Alice’, Who's Who 2013, A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc, 2013; online edn, Oxford University Press}}{{subscription required}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.imperial.ac.uk/college.asp?P=2223|title=Imperial College London - 2000 Fellows of Imperial College|accessdate=16 March 2016}}</ref><ref name="Nature Obituary">{{cite journal|last=O'Garra|first=Anne|title=Brigitte Askonas (1923–2013)|journal=Nature|date=6 February 2013|volume=494|issue=7435|pages=37–37|doi=10.1038/494037a|pmid=23389536}}</ref>
'''Brigitte Alice (Ita) Askonas''' {{post-nominals|country=GBR|FRS|FMedSci}} (1 April 1923 – 9 January 2013)<ref name=rsbm>{{cite journal|last1=McMichael|first1=Andrew J.|authorlink1=Andrew McMichael|last2=Ogilvie|first2=Bridget M.|authorlink2=Bridget Ogilvie|title=Brigitte Alice Askonas. 1 April 1923—9 January 2013|journal=[[Biographical Memoirs of Fellows of the Royal Society]]|year=2018|pages=20180007|issn=0080-4606|doi=10.1098/rsbm.2018.0007}}</ref> was a British [[immunologist]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://royalsociety.org/about-us/fellowship/fellows|title=Lists of Royal Society Fellows 1660–2007|publisher=The Royal Society|accessdate=6 July 2012|location=London, UK}}</ref> and a visiting professor at [[Imperial College London]] from 1995.<ref name=whoswho>{{Who's Who | author=Anon| surname = Askonas | othernames = Brigitte Alice (Ita) | id = U5882 | year = 2013 | doi = 10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.U5882| edition = online [[Oxford University Press]]|type = was|location=Oxford}} {{subscription required}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.imperial.ac.uk/college.asp?P=2223|title=Imperial College London - 2000 Fellows of Imperial College|accessdate=16 March 2016}}</ref><ref name="Nature Obituary">{{cite journal|last=O'Garra|first=Anne|authorlink=Anne O'Garra|title=Brigitte Askonas (1923–2013)|journal=Nature|date= 2013|volume=494|issue=7435|pages=37–37|doi=10.1038/494037a|pmid=23389536}}</ref>


==Education==
==Education==
[[Vienna]]-born Askonas studied biochemistry at [[McGill University]] (BSc, MSc) and carried out her postgraduate work in the School of Biochemistry at the [[University of Cambridge]] (PhD).<ref name="Nature Obituary"/><ref name="askonasphd">{{cite thesis|degree=PhD|first=Brigitte|last=Askonas|title=The separation of enzymes by means of organic solvents at low temperatures: application to aqueous rabbit-muscle extract with a study of creatine-phosphokinase|publisher=University of Cambridge|date=1952|url=http://www.theses.com|authorlink=Brigitte Askonas}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{cite journal|last=Askonasi|first=Brigitte A.|title=From Protein Synthesis to Antibody formation and Cellular Immunity: A Personal View|journal=Annual Review of Immunology|date=1 April 1990|volume=8|issue=1|pages=1–22|doi=10.1146/annurev.iy.08.040190.000245|pmid=2188659}}</ref>
[[Vienna]]-born Askonas studied biochemistry at [[McGill University]] (BSc, MSc) and carried out her postgraduate work in the school of biochemistry at the [[University of Cambridge]] where she was a student of [[Girton College, Cambridge]].<ref name="Nature Obituary"/><ref name=aphd>{{cite thesis|degree=PhD|first=Brigitte|last=Askonas|title=The separation of enzymes by means of organic solvents at low temperatures: application to aqueous rabbit-muscle extract with a study of creatine-phosphokinase|publisher=University of Cambridge|date=1952|url=https://search.proquest.com/docview/301230275|website=proquest.com|authorlink=Brigitte Askonas}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{cite journal|last=Askonas|first=Brigitte Alice|title=From Protein Synthesis to Antibody formation and Cellular Immunity: A Personal View|journal=Annual Review of Immunology|date= 1990|volume=8|issue=1|pages=1–22|doi=10.1146/annurev.iy.08.040190.000245|pmid=2188659}}</ref><ref name=torygraph>{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/medicine-obituaries/9970276/Professor-Brigitte-Askonas.html|title=Professor Brigitte Askonas Obituary|publisher=[[The Daily Telegraph]]|author=Anon|website=telegraph.co.uk|date= 4 April 2013}}</ref><ref name=grauniad>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/science/2013/jan/10/brigitte-askonas-obituary|title= Obituary for Brigitte Askonas|publisher=[[The Guardian]]|date=10 January 2013|first=Bridget |last=Ogilvie|website=theguardian.com}}</ref>


Her role models in the department included two distinguished scientists, Margaret Stephenson and [[Dorothy Needham]], who were two of the first women to be elected to the Royal Society. She said they taught her that "good science gets recognition regardless of the sex of the scientist". Her PhD supervisor was [[Malcolm Dixon]].<ref name=":0"/>
Her role models in the department included two distinguished scientists, [[Marjory Stephenson]] and [[Dorothy Needham]],{{fact}} two of the first women to be elected to the Royal Society. She said they taught her that "good science gets recognition regardless of the sex of the scientist". Her [[PhD]] research was supervised by [[Malcolm Dixon]].<ref name=rsbm/><ref name=aphd/><ref name=":0"/>


==Career==
==Career and research==
Her first position was at the Allan Memorial Institute of Psychiatry (associated with McGill University).<ref name=":0"/> In 1952, she joined the staff of the [[National Institute for Medical Research]] where she became the head of the division of Immunology in 1976 (to 1988).<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Askonas|first1=B.A.|authorlink=Brigitte Askonas|last2=Rhodes|first2=J.M.|doi=10.1038/205470a0|title=Immunogenicity of Antigen-Containing Ribonucleic Acid Preparations from Macrophages|journal=Nature|volume=205|issue=4970|page=470|year=1965}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last1=McMichael|first1=A.J.|last2=Ting|first2=A.|last3=Zweerink|first3=H.J.|last4=Askonas|first4=B.A.|authorlink4=Brigitte Askonas|title=HLA restriction of cell-mediated lysis of influenza virus-infected human cells|doi=10.1038/270524a0|journal=Nature|volume=270|issue=5637|pages=524–26|year=1977|pmid=593371}}</ref>
Her first position was at the Allan Memorial Institute of Psychiatry (associated with McGill University).<ref name=":0"/> In 1952, she joined the staff of the [[National Institute for Medical Research]] (NIMR) where she served as head of the division of Immunology from 1976 to 1988.<ref name=imm>{{Cite journal|last1=Askonas|first1=B.A.|authorlink=Brigitte Askonas|last2=Rhodes|first2=J.M.|doi=10.1038/205470a0|title=Immunogenicity of Antigen-Containing Ribonucleic Acid Preparations from Macrophages|journal=Nature|volume=205|issue=4970|page=470|year=1965}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last1=McMichael|first1=A.J.|last2=Ting|first2=A.|last3=Zweerink|first3=H.J.|last4=Askonas|first4=B.A.|authorlink4=Brigitte Askonas|title=HLA restriction of cell-mediated lysis of influenza virus-infected human cells|doi=10.1038/270524a0|journal=Nature|volume=270|issue=5637|pages=524–26|year=1977|pmid=593371}}</ref>


During that time, she worked extensively with fellow immunologist [[John H. Humphrey]] to establish the immunology divisions. Askonas focused on [[B cells]] and determined their role in producing antibodies as part of the immune response. In 2007 she was made a foreign associate of the [[United States National Academy of Sciences]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www8.nationalacademies.org/onpinews/newsitem.aspx?RecordID=05012007|title=National-Academies.org &#124; Newsroom|accessdate=16 March 2016}}</ref>
During that time, she worked extensively with fellow immunologist [[John H. Humphrey]] to establish the immunology divisions. Askonas focused on [[B cells]] and determined their role in producing antibodies as part of the immune response.


⚫
At the NIMR she began researching the [[biosynthesis]] of [[polypeptide]]s in milk [[protein]]s discovering that the [[peptide]]s were synthesised from [[amino acids]] rapidly in one piece.<ref name=":0"/> From 1955-59 she studied the sites of [[antibody]] formation using radioactivity to develop our understanding of [[antibody]] molecules and the cells of the [[immune system]]. From 1959-61 she studied [[plasma cell]] tumors as models for antibody formation. She went on to investigate [[macrophages]] and their role in [[antigen]] presentation (1962–1968). From 1963 to 1966 she studied the fate of [[antigen]] in relation to [[antibody]] formation and later continued her study of [[B cells]] from 1965 to 1970.<ref name=":0"/>
⚫
She wrote several biographies of high-profile scientists, including [[Niels Kaj Jerne]],<ref>{{Cite journal | last1 = Askonas | first1 = B. A. | authorlink1 = Brigitte Askonas| last2 = Howard | first2 = J. G. | doi = 10.1098/rsbm.1997.0013 | title = [[Niels Kaj Jerne]]. 23 December 1911--7 October 1994.: Elected F.R.S 1980 | journal = [[Biographical Memoirs of Fellows of the Royal Society]] | volume = 43 | pages = 237 | year = 1997 | pmid = | pmc = }}</ref> [[César Milstein]]<ref>{{Cite journal | last1 = Neuberger | first1 = M. S. | authorlink1 = Michael Neuberger| last2 = Askonas | first2 = B. A. | authorlink2 = Brigitte Askonas| doi = 10.1098/rsbm.2005.0017 | title = [[César Milstein|Cesar Milstein]] CH. 8 October 1927 - 24 March 2002: Elected F.R.S. 1974 | journal = [[Biographical Memoirs of Fellows of the Royal Society]] | volume = 51 | page = 267 | year = 2005 | pmid = | pmc = }}</ref> and [[John Herbert Humphrey]].<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Askonas|first1=B.A.|authorlink=Brigitte Askonas|doi=10.1098/rsbm.1990.0033|title=[[John H. Humphrey|John Herbert Humphrey]]. 16 December 1915-25 December 1987|journal=[[Biographical Memoirs of Fellows of the Royal Society]]|volume=36|year=1990|pages=274–300}}</ref>


⚫
She wrote several biographies of high-profile scientists, including [[Niels Kaj Jerne]],<ref>{{Cite journal | last1 = Askonas | first1 = B. A. | authorlink1 = Brigitte Askonas| last2 = Howard | first2 = J. G. | doi = 10.1098/rsbm.1997.0013 | title = [[Niels Kaj Jerne]]. 23 December 1911--7 October 1994.: Elected F.R.S 1980 | journal = [[Biographical Memoirs of Fellows of the Royal Society]] | volume = 43 | pages = 237 | year = 1997 | pmid = | pmc = }}</ref> [[César Milstein]]<ref>{{Cite journal | last1 = Neuberger | first1 = M. S. | authorlink1 = Michael Neuberger| last2 = Askonas | first2 = B. A. | authorlink2 = Brigitte Askonas| doi = 10.1098/rsbm.2005.0017 | title = [[César Milstein|Cesar Milstein]] CH. 8 October 1927 - 24 March 2002: Elected F.R.S. 1974 | journal = [[Biographical Memoirs of Fellows of the Royal Society]] | volume = 51 | page = 267 | year = 2005 | pmid = | pmc = }}</ref> and [[John Herbert Humphrey]].<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Askonas|first1=B.A.|authorlink=Brigitte Askonas|doi=10.1098/rsbm.1990.0033|title=[[John H. Humphrey|John Herbert Humphrey]]. 16 December 1915-25 December 1987|journal=[[Biographical Memoirs of Fellows of the Royal Society]]|volume=36|year=1990|pages=274–300}}</ref>
==Research==
⚫
At the [[National Institute for Medical Research|NIMR]] she began researching the biosynthesis of polypeptides in milk proteins discovering that the peptides were synthesised from [[amino acids]] rapidly in one piece.<ref name=":0"/> From 1955-59 she studied the sites of antibody formation using radioactivity to develop our understanding of [[antibody]] molecules and the cells of the [[immune system]]. From 1959-61 she studied [[plasma cell]] tumors as models for antibody formation. She went on to investigate [[macrophages]] and their role in antigen presentation (1962–1968). From 1963-66 she studied the fate of [[antigen]] in relation to [[antibody]] formation and later continued her study of [[B cells]] (1965–1970).<ref name=":0"/>


==Further reading==
===Awards and honours===
In 2007 she was made a foreign associate of the [[National Academy of Sciences]] of the [[United States]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www8.nationalacademies.org/onpinews/newsitem.aspx?RecordID=05012007|website=nationalacademies.org|title=72 new members chosen by the Academy|author=Anon|year=2007|accessdate=16 March 2016}}</ref><ref name=nas>http://www.nasonline.org/member-directory/deceased-members/20015153.html</ref> and won the [[Robert Koch Prize]].<ref name=rsbm/> She was also elected a [[Fellow of the Royal Society]] (FRS) in 1973<ref name=rsbm/> and a [[Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences]] (FMedSci).{{when}}
* [https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/medicine-obituaries/9970276/Professor-Brigitte-Askonas.html Obituary], [[The Daily Telegraph]], 4 April 2013, accessed 5 April 13.
* [https://www.theguardian.com/science/2013/jan/10/brigitte-askonas-obituary?INTCMP=SRCH Obituary for Brigitte Askonas], ''[[The Guardian]]'', 10 January 2013, accessed 5 April 13.


==References==
==References==

Revision as of 08:32, 31 August 2018

Ita Askonas
FRS FMedSci
Born(1923-04-01)1 April 1923
Vienna, Austria
Died9 January 2013(2013-01-09) (aged 89)
Alma materMcGill University (BSc, MSc)
University of Cambridge (PhD)
AwardsRobert Koch Prize (2007)
Member of the National Academy of Sciences (2007)[1]
Scientific career
InstitutionsJohn Radcliffe Hospital
University of Cambridge
Harvard Medical School[2]
Imperial College London
McGill University
National Institute for Medical Research
ThesisThe separation of enzymes by means of organic solvents at low temperatures: application to aqueous rabbit-muscle extract with a study of creatine-phosphokinase (1952)
Doctoral advisorMalcolm Dixon[3]
Doctoral studentsAndrew McMichael[4]
Alain Townsend[5]

Brigitte Alice (Ita) Askonas FRS FMedSci (1 April 1923 – 9 January 2013)[4] was a British immunologist[6] and a visiting professor at Imperial College London from 1995.[2][7][8]

Education

Vienna-born Askonas studied biochemistry at McGill University (BSc, MSc) and carried out her postgraduate work in the school of biochemistry at the University of Cambridge where she was a student of Girton College, Cambridge.[8][3][9][10][11]

Her role models in the department included two distinguished scientists, Marjory Stephenson and Dorothy Needham,[citation needed] two of the first women to be elected to the Royal Society. She said they taught her that "good science gets recognition regardless of the sex of the scientist". Her PhD research was supervised by Malcolm Dixon.[4][3][9]

Career and research

Her first position was at the Allan Memorial Institute of Psychiatry (associated with McGill University).[9] In 1952, she joined the staff of the National Institute for Medical Research (NIMR) where she served as head of the division of Immunology from 1976 to 1988.[12][13]

During that time, she worked extensively with fellow immunologist John H. Humphrey to establish the immunology divisions. Askonas focused on B cells and determined their role in producing antibodies as part of the immune response.

At the NIMR she began researching the biosynthesis of polypeptides in milk proteins discovering that the peptides were synthesised from amino acids rapidly in one piece.[9] From 1955-59 she studied the sites of antibody formation using radioactivity to develop our understanding of antibody molecules and the cells of the immune system. From 1959-61 she studied plasma cell tumors as models for antibody formation. She went on to investigate macrophages and their role in antigen presentation (1962–1968). From 1963 to 1966 she studied the fate of antigen in relation to antibody formation and later continued her study of B cells from 1965 to 1970.[9]

She wrote several biographies of high-profile scientists, including Niels Kaj Jerne,[14] César Milstein[15] and John Herbert Humphrey.[16]

Awards and honours

In 2007 she was made a foreign associate of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States[17][1] and won the Robert Koch Prize.[4] She was also elected a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS) in 1973[4] and a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences (FMedSci).[when?]

References

  1. ^ a b http://www.nasonline.org/member-directory/deceased-members/20015153.html
  2. ^ a b Anon (2013). "Askonas, Brigitte Alice (Ita)". Who's Who & Who Was Who (online Oxford University Press ed.). Oxford: A & C Black. doi:10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.U5882. {{cite encyclopedia}}: More than one of |surname= and |author= specified (help); Unknown parameter |othernames= ignored (help) (Subscription or UK public library membership required.) (subscription required)
  3. ^ a b c Askonas, Brigitte (1952). The separation of enzymes by means of organic solvents at low temperatures: application to aqueous rabbit-muscle extract with a study of creatine-phosphokinase. proquest.com (PhD thesis). University of Cambridge.
  4. ^ a b c d e McMichael, Andrew J.; Ogilvie, Bridget M. (2018). "Brigitte Alice Askonas. 1 April 1923—9 January 2013". Biographical Memoirs of Fellows of the Royal Society: 20180007. doi:10.1098/rsbm.2018.0007. ISSN 0080-4606.
  5. ^ Townsend, Alain Robert Michael (1984). Recognition of influenza virus specific cytotoxic T cell clones. london.ac.uk (PhD thesis). University of London. OCLC 941030873. Copac 34553445.
  6. ^ "Lists of Royal Society Fellows 1660–2007". London, UK: The Royal Society. Retrieved 6 July 2012.
  7. ^ "Imperial College London - 2000 Fellows of Imperial College". Retrieved 16 March 2016.
  8. ^ a b O'Garra, Anne (2013). "Brigitte Askonas (1923–2013)". Nature. 494 (7435): 37–37. doi:10.1038/494037a. PMID 23389536.
  9. ^ a b c d e Askonas, Brigitte Alice (1990). "From Protein Synthesis to Antibody formation and Cellular Immunity: A Personal View". Annual Review of Immunology. 8 (1): 1–22. doi:10.1146/annurev.iy.08.040190.000245. PMID 2188659.
  10. ^ Anon (4 April 2013). "Professor Brigitte Askonas Obituary". telegraph.co.uk. The Daily Telegraph.
  11. ^ Ogilvie, Bridget (10 January 2013). "Obituary for Brigitte Askonas". theguardian.com. The Guardian.
  12. ^ Askonas, B.A.; Rhodes, J.M. (1965). "Immunogenicity of Antigen-Containing Ribonucleic Acid Preparations from Macrophages". Nature. 205 (4970): 470. doi:10.1038/205470a0.
  13. ^ McMichael, A.J.; Ting, A.; Zweerink, H.J.; Askonas, B.A. (1977). "HLA restriction of cell-mediated lysis of influenza virus-infected human cells". Nature. 270 (5637): 524–26. doi:10.1038/270524a0. PMID 593371.
  14. ^ Askonas, B. A.; Howard, J. G. (1997). "Niels Kaj Jerne. 23 December 1911--7 October 1994.: Elected F.R.S 1980". Biographical Memoirs of Fellows of the Royal Society. 43: 237. doi:10.1098/rsbm.1997.0013.
  15. ^ Neuberger, M. S.; Askonas, B. A. (2005). "Cesar Milstein CH. 8 October 1927 - 24 March 2002: Elected F.R.S. 1974". Biographical Memoirs of Fellows of the Royal Society. 51: 267. doi:10.1098/rsbm.2005.0017.
  16. ^ Askonas, B.A. (1990). "John Herbert Humphrey. 16 December 1915-25 December 1987". Biographical Memoirs of Fellows of the Royal Society. 36: 274–300. doi:10.1098/rsbm.1990.0033.
  17. ^ Anon (2007). "72 new members chosen by the Academy". nationalacademies.org. Retrieved 16 March 2016.
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