The Copley Medal is awarded to Sir Peter Medawar, C. B. E., F. R. S. Medawar’s first major contribution was to prove conclusively that skin grafts made between different individuals usually fail because of an immunological response made by the recipient against foreign antigens in the donor’s cells, and then to show that the most important mechanism was a specific cell-mediated immunity due to lymphocytes. In attempting to find means of preventing the response against grafted tissues, without impairing immunological capacity in other respects, Medawar made a second major contribution by showing for the first time that it was possible to induce specific tolerance of foreign antigens by administering them to very young animals. His subsequent work, directed towards achieving practical means of overcoming the immunological barrier to tissue transplantation, led him on the one hand to investigate improved methods of inducing specific immunological tolerance and, on the other, to use antiserum against lymphocytes to suppress the damaging effects of these cells. His successful results in experimental animals have indicated the way to their possible application in Man. Medawar’s work has throughout been distinguished by a penetrating clarity of thought combined with insight, and by elegant and original experimental design. He also has a justly high reputation for his analyses and predictions in wider fields of biology, and his study of scientific method.
Quantum Euler Relation for Local Measurements