If you don't know who Professor Doherty is, you probably live like a frog under a well. (joking)
Today, I had attended a fantastic talk entitled 'The Killer Defense' by Professor Doherty at Graduate Centre, Sunway Campus which lasted for an hour. Seriously, time flied fast. I wished we can have more and more time listened to this great scientist, Nobel Prize winner and a good role model (for me, he is).
In 1996, Professor Laureate, Peter C. Doherty shared the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine with Swiss colleague Rolf Zinkernagel, for their discovery of how the immune system recognises virus-infected cells. The discovery has had a profound impact on immunology, the treatment of diseases - including cancer - and today's success in organ transplantation. Prof Doherty was Australian of the Year in 1997, ans has since been commuting between St Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis and the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at the University of Melbourne. His research is mainly in the area of defence against viruses. Throughout his research, Prof Doherty's work has been marked by his tenacity, enterprise and enthusiasm for new ideas.
Prof Doherty also wrote several books, including the famous "The Beginners Guide to Winning the Nobel Prize" and "A Light History of Hot Air". He regularly devotes time to delivering public lectures, writing articles for newspapers and magazines and participating in radio discussions.
At first, I thought venerable Prof Doherty must be like someone at the sky that we can't reach, as we know he had won a lot of awards besides the prestigious Nobel Prize; but, he is just so truly fully humble, respectful, smart, underprivileged, modest, nice and impressive scientist. He even thanks to a volunteer who helped him out with slide show presentation multiple times.
Prof Doherty feel kind of sad when there are too few people working in the area of viral pathogenesis and immunity, too little funding, too many problems and too little time.
Last but not least, all of us burst into laugh when Prof Doherty shared some of his funny photos to end the talk. He said he is just a man who don't know what to do with flowers. LOL.
He said he looked funny that time wore a hat with ears flying up and even hold a bouquet of flowers upside down.
