WORLD OF MICROBIOLOGY AND IMMUNOLOGY Burnet, Frank Macfarlane97•
ies are present in an organism’s body from birth, prior to birth,
or an early age. A second theory suggested that antibodies are
produced “on the spot” as they are needed and in response to
an attack by an antigen.
For more than two decades, Burnet worked on resolving
these questions about the immune system. He eventually
developed a complete and coherent explanation of the way the
system develops in the embryo and beyond, how it develops
the ability to recognize its own cells as distinct from foreign
cells, and how it carries with it from the very earliest stages
the templates from which antibodies are produced. For this
work, Burnet was awarded a share of the 1960 Nobel Prize in
physiology or medicine. Among the other honors he received
were the Royal Medal and the Copley Medal of the RoyalSociety (1947 and 1959, respectively) and the Order of Merit
in 1958. He was elected a fellow of the Royal Society in 1947
and knighted by King George V in 1951.
Burnet retired from the Hall Institute in 1965, but con-
tinued his research activities. His late work was in the area of
autoimmune disorders, cancer, and aging. He died of cancer in
Melbourne in 1985. Burnet was a prolific writer, primarily of
books on science and medicine, during his lifetime.See alsoAntigens and antibodies; Autoimmune disorders;
Bacteriophage and bacteriophage typing; Immunity, cell medi-
ated; Immunity, humoral regulation; Virology; Virus replica-
tion; Viruses and responses to viral infectionwomi_B 5/6/03 1:10 PM Page 97