Elizabeth Simpson

Elizabeth Simpson is a British biologist. She is the Emeritus Professor of Transplantation Biology at Imperial College London. Simpson is particularly known for her elucidation of the nature of male-associated minor transplantation antigens, and their roles in the generation of immunological tolerance, graft versus host disease, and transplant rejection.

Life and education Elizabeth Simpson was born in London, England. She obtained both her Bachelor's and Master's of Veterinary Medicine from the University of Cambridge. Immediately following her completion of education, she began working at a private practice in NB, Canada as a veterinary surgeon for two years. She then worked as a virologist in Ottawa for the Department of Health and Welfare. In 1966, she returned to Cambridge and served as an assistant lecturer in animal pathology for three years.

Simpson subsequently moved to Delhi, India and became a WHO consultant immunologist at the National Institute of Communicable Diseases. During her work in Delhi, India, she simultaneously worked for the National Institute for Medical Research (NIMR) in London, England as a research scientist.

Research Simpson specializes in cellular immunology. She has made contributions to immunology by observing the interactions between T cells and Y chromosome antigens. Her studies in the area of minor histocompatibility antigens showed that male-specific cytotoxic T cells recognize self-MHC and products of genes on the Y chromosome. She carried out the molecular identification of the HY genes and the peptide epitopes they encode. Simpson's work has led to an increased understanding of immunological tolerance and graft acceptance/rejection, leading organ transplantation to become safer and more successful for patients. 2000: OBE 2010: Fellow of the Royal Society 2015: HonDSc from Imperial College 2019: "Outstanding Contribution to Science for Lifetime Achievements in Immunology and Inflammation" - Queen Mary University of London