The Antibody Molecule : From antitoxins to therapeutic antibodies (Oxford Medical Histories)

The Antibody Molecule follows the extraordinary journey of the medics and scientists who shaped the course of medical advances in the field of immunology. One of the oldest of the medical sciences, immunology has a history that has seen chemists, physicists and biologists alike seeking to unravel the most complex system in the human body outside the brain. This book charts its intriguing history, from the genetic basis of antibody diversity, through the understanding of the mechanism by which the immune system's first line of defence works, to breakthroughs in crystallography and the exploitation of immunoglobulins as therapeutic platforms to treat cancer, inflammation and allergy. Tracing the developments in immunology in chronological order, Professor Anthony R. Rees presents the historical contexts of the periods in rich detail, bringing them to life with quotes and illustrations. This fascinating book examines the literature of the time, turning points, and controversies. A must read for immunologists and life scientists, as well as historians of science and medicine.