University of Alberta Edmonton, Canada May 30, 1997

Professor of biochemistry named MRC distinguished scientist

Chris Bleackley one of the leading molecular immunologists in the country

Dr. Chris Bleackley has been named a Medical Research Council of Canada scientist. He is among six Canadian researchers awarded the Council's most prestigious research honor.

The five-year award supports salaries of highly renowned scientists who are at the forefront of health research.

The professor of biochemistry with a cross appointment in immunology is recognized as one of the leading molecular immunologists in Canada and internationally, particularly in the field of granzyme molecular genetics. His research focuses on processes which lead to the death of cells and could hold out some promise in the areas of transplantation, autoimmunity and vaccination.

His team has discovered how lymphocytes work by inducing suicide in cells. They have cloned genes for a number of enzymes that play a key role in the destruction of tumour cells and virally infected cells by the immune system. The research could lead to the development of drugs that would inhibit or enhance cell-mediated immune responses for treatment of patients with autoimmune disorders or cancer.

Three researchers at the University of Toronto, one at McGill University and one at l'Universite de Sherbrooke were named MRC distinguished scientists for 1997.

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