The King's Birthday Honours list has been announced to mark the extraordinary contributions and service of people across the UK. The British Society for Immunology (BSI) congratulates the following immunologists and members of the BSI who have been recognised for their outstanding contributions to the discipline and wider society.
Professor Eleanor Riley has been appointed a CBE for her ‘services to immunology’. Professor Riley is a world leader in malaria immunology, with a unique background in basic sciences, veterinary medicine, human infectious diseases and global health, and has made major contributions to strengthening research capacity in Africa. Professor Riley has consistently questioned the perceived wisdom of anti-malarial immunity, subjecting widely held but poorly documented beliefs to intellectual scrutiny and experimental examination. Her multidisciplinary background gives her a unique perspective on the basic and translational research needs for improving public health in tropical countries. In 2020, she moved to the University of Edinburgh where she is now Professor Emerita of Immunology and Infectious Diseases. She is currently a Council Member at the Medical Research Council (MRC) and the Academy of Medical Sciences. Professor Riley is a member of the BSI COVID-19 and Immunology Taskforce and worked closely with us through the pandemic on our COVID-19 policy and engagement activities.
Professor Thomas Evans, Professor of Molecular Microbiology at the University of Glasgow, has been appointed a CBE for his ‘services to healthcare during COVID-19’. During the pandemic, Professor Evans was Chair of the Scottish Government’s Clinical Cell for COVID-19, and a member of the Scottish Government Advisory Committee on COVID-19. He is Chair of the expert Advisory Committee on Dangerous Pathogens in the Department of Health and Social Care, and is a member of the Scottish Standing Committee on Pandemic Preparedness. His research interests include the immune responses to bacterial infections, particularly Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Streptococcus pneumoniae as well as the development of more effective therapies for hospital-acquired infections and antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Professor Evans has long supported the BSI through his work on the Editorial Board of Immunology.