Trinity Appoints Three Nobel Laureates as Honorary Professors

Posted on: 17 October 2012

Three Nobel Laureates in Medicine or Physiology have been appointed Honorary Professors in the School of Biochemistry and Immunology, a key constituent School in the Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute (TBSI).

The new Honorary Professors are Jules Hoffmann, Bruce Beutler and Peter Doherty.  Jules Hoffmann and Bruce Beutler shared the Nobel prize with Ralph Steinman in 2011 for their pioneering work on innate immunity. Peter Doherty shared the prize with Ralph Zinkernagel in 1996 for work on how the immune system handles viruses have taken on the new positions. 

Prof Luke O’Neill, Academic Director, TBSI (centre) with two of the newly appointed Honorary Professors, Jules Hoffman and Peter Doherty

All three Honorary Professors have connections to Trinity College.  Peter Doherty was instrumental in the strategic planning of TBSI, and has been a long time supporter of Immunology in Trinity.  Jules Hoffman and Peter spoke at a major symposium on immunology last July, to a capacity audience in the Stanley Quek theatre. 

Speaking on the occasion of their appointment, Professor Luke O’Neill, Academic Director of the TBSI said: “We are delighted to welcome Jules, Peter and Bruce to TBSI. They will visit to take part in seminars and also to interact with both graduate and undergraduate students. We are confident that they will be an inspiration to staff and students alike”. 

An Honorary Professor title is awarded only to those who have an especially distinguished academic record.