San Diego Union-Tribune (Sunday)
Immunologist wins prestigious award
Immunologist Shane Crotty of the La Jolla Institute for Immunology is this year’s recipient of a national award from the American Association of Immunologists.
The Maryland-based organization, which represents 8,000 scientists in 71 countries, recently named Crotty its 2023 Biolegend Herzenberg Award winner. Named for Leonard A. Herzenberg, inventor of f luoresence activated cell sorter technology, the award recognizes researchers who make outstanding contributions to the understanding of B cell biology.
B cells produce the antibodies that detect and help the immune system destroy foreign or malignant cells, forming a core part of the adaptive immune system that protects against myriad threats from viruses to cancer.
Working with fellow institute immunologist Alessandro Sette, Crotty published the first head-to-head comparison of four coronavirus vaccines, documenting the strength of the immune response they produced.
His work heading LJI’S Center for Infectious Disease and Vaccine Research has explored the use of new chemicals called adjuvants that can make vaccines more effective in stimulating the production of protective immune system components, and also on how variable dosing can help improve vaccine response.
In a statement released Wednesday by LJI, Crotty said he found the honor humbling.
“B cells are amazing, and antibodies are amazing,” he said. “I’m very grateful to be able to contribute to our understanding of COVID-19 and other infectious diseases and vaccines.”
Immunologist and microbiologist Kristian Andersen, a well-known researcher at San Diego’s Scripps Research, said in an email Wednesday that the honor is well deserved.
“Shane has made many important contributions to our understanding of immunology over the years, so this is a great honor and well deserved,” Andersen said. “He has, of course, also made many contributions to our understanding of COVID-19 and continues to be a trusted resource and talented science communicator to the public.”
He noted that while this award is for work with B cells, much of Crotty’s recent work regarding coronavirus involved how long-lived T-cells can cross react and provide diverse protection against SARSCOV-2.