- Edward Jenner is considered the father of immunology for his pioneering work in the late 1700s demonstrating that exposure to cowpox conferred immunity to smallpox. He inoculated an 8-year old boy with cowpox who was then resistant to smallpox. - Over subsequent decades, scientists isolated various pathogens and discovered antibodies, antitoxins, and defined antigens, advancing the understanding of the immune system and leading to treatments for diseases like diphtheria and tetanus. - Major discoveries in the 20th century included identification of blood groups, acquired immunological tolerance, monoclonal antibodies, and genetic principles underlying antibody diversity. These advances furthered knowledge of immunity and laid the foundations for

1. History
of
Immunology

2. • Immunology is defined as the study of the molecules,
cells, organs, and systems responsible for the
recognition and disposal of foreign material.
• The study of infectious disease and the body’s response
to them has a major role for the development of
immunology.
• Edward Jenner (Father of immunology) who first
studied the response of the body to foreign substances.
He observed that a woman working in dairy had a mild
infection of cowpox seemed to be protected against
smallpox.
• Smallpox was a harmful disease and a major killer.

3. • In 1796, Edward Jenner inoculated an eight year-old
boy with fluid from cowpox infected woman. The boy
contracted cowpox. Then two month later Jenner
inoculated him with fluid from a small pox blister, the
boy only developed a small sore at the site of
inoculation. His exposure to the mild disease cowpox
had made him immune to the small pox infection.
• In 1879, the first human pathogen, gonococcus, was
isolated by Neisser.
• In 1883, Klebs and Loeffler isolated diphtheria bacilli
which led to the production of the first defined
antigen, diphtheria toxin, by Roux and Yersin in 1888.
In the same year the first antibodies, serum
bactericidins, were reported by Nuttal and Pasteur.

4. • In 1890, von Behring and Kitasato discovered antitoxins
that led to the development of toxoids for diphtheria
and tetanus.
• In 1900, Land Steiner discovered the blood group
antigens and their corresponding antibodies. This led to
the ability to give blood transfusion with out provoking
reactions.
• It was in 1916 that the first journal of immunology
began publication in which many of new findings
published on it.

5. THE NOBEL PRIZE LAUREATES IN IMMUNOLOGY
• 1901 E.A. Von Behring (Germany) for the work on
serum therapy especially its application against
diphtheria.
• 1905 R. Koch (Germany) for the investigations
concerning tuberculosis.
• 1908 E. Metchnikoff (Russia) and P. Ehrlich (Germany)
for their work on immunity (respectively,
phagocytosis).
• 1913 C.R. Richet (France) for the work on
anaphylaxis.

6. • 1930 K. Landsteiner (Austria/USA) for the discovery
of human blood groups.
• 1951 M. Theiler (South Africa) for the discoveries and
developments concerning yellow fever.
• 1957 D. Bovet (Italy/Switzerland) for the discoveries
related to histamine and compounds, which inhibit
action of histamine and other substances on the
vascular system and the skeleton muscles.
• 1960 Sir F. McFarlane Burnet (Australia) and Sir P.B.
Medawar (Great Britain) for the discovery of acquired
immunological tolerance.
• 1972 G.M. Edelman (USA) and R.R. Porter (Great
Britain) for their discovery concerning the chemical
structure of antibodies.

7. • 1977 R. Yalow (USA) for the development of
radioimmunoassays of peptide hormones.
• 1980 B. Benacerraf (USA), J. Dausset (France) and G.D.
Snell (USA) for their discoveries concerning genetically
determined structures on the cell surface (major
histocompatibility complex) that regulate immunological
reactions.
• 1982 S. K. Bergstrom (Sweden), B. I. Samuelsson (Sweden)
and J. R. Vane (UK) for their discoveries concerning
prostaglandins and related biologically active substances.
• 1984 N.K. Jerne (Denmark/Switzerland) for theories
concerning the specificity in development and control of
the immune system;
• 1984 G.J.F. Köhler (Germany/Switzerland) and C. Milstein
(Argentina/Great Britain) for the discovery of the principle
for production of monoclonal antibodies.

8. • 1987 S. Tonegawa (Japan/USA) for the discovery
of the genetic principle for generation of antibody
diversity.
• 1990 J.E. Murray and E.D. Thomas (USA) for their
discovery concerning organ and cell
transplantation in the treatment of human
diseases.
• 1996 P.C. Doherty (Australia/USA) and R.M.
Zinkernagel (Switzerland) for their discoveries
concerning the specificity of the cell mediated
immune defense ("dual recognition").
• 1997 S.B. Prusiner (USA) for the discovery of
prions as a new biological principle of infection.

9. The End