George B. Mackaness

George Bellamy Mackaness (20 August 1922 – 4 March 2007) was an Australian professor of microbiology, immunologist, writer and administrator, who researched and described the life history of the macrophage. He showed that by infecting mice with intracellular bacteria, macrophages could be activated to attack other bacteria, triggering further research on "macrophage activation", a term he has come to be associated with.

Mackaness completed his early medical training at Sydney Hospital. After the Second World War he moved to London to study pathology before taking up a graduate post at Howard Florey's Laboratory in Oxford. There he studied the role of monocytes and macrophages in killing Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Simultaneously he worked on anti-tuberculous medicines, including streptomycin and isoniazid, before receiving his DPhil in 1953. Shortly after returning to Australia, Mackeness was appointed acting head of the Department of Experimental Pathology at the John Curtin School of Medical Research (JCSMR), where his observations led him to describe "acquired cellular resistance" and that specifically committed T-cells reacting with antigen, activated the macrophages. He had by this time completed a sabbatical to the Rockefeller Institute, and had written extensively on renin and high blood pressure.

In 1962 he was appointed professor in microbiology at the University of Adelaide. Later, he transferred to the Trudeau Institute in the US before moving to the Squibb Institute for Medical Research, where he played an important part in getting the first ACE inhibitor, captopril, licensed.

Early life and education George Bellamy Mackaness was born on 20 August 1922 in Sydney, Australia, the third child of James Vincent Mackaness, a Sussex Street grocer, and his wife Eleanor Frances Bellamy Mackaness. He used his name in full to distinguish himself from his uncle, George Mackaness, an author and historian. It resulted in an increase in research on "macrophage activation", a term he has become associated with. Discovering antibiotics was his side interest and his work in this field later earned him a fellowship to the Royal Society. At Florey's suggestion, Mackaness simultaneously took to studying anti-tuberculous medicines, including streptomycin and isoniazid. He delayed completing his thesis while working on isoniazid and received his DPhil in 1953. With his colleagues, he confirmed that specifically committed T-lymphocytes reacting with antigen, activated the macrophages.

He became president of the Squibb Institute for Medical Research in New Jersey in 1976. While at Squibb, the FDA had denied a license to the first ACE inhibitor, captopril, due the side effects being too unacceptable, particularly the risk of producing a severe low blood count. Mackaness persuaded the company to reduce the dose by half, resulting in FDA approval and significant profits for the Squibb. His last publication before retirement was a review article on ACE inhibitors.

Following retirement in 1985, he moved to Seabrook Island, South Carolina to be near his son and three granddaughters. He later developed Alzheimer's disease.

Personal and family In 1945, after graduating, Mackaness married Gwynneth Patterson, an army nurse, who he met during the early years of the Second World War, whilst a medical student. They had one son, Miles.

Awards and honours He was awarded the Paul Ehrlich and Ludwig Darmstaedter Prize in 1975. In 1976, he was elected fellow of the Royal Society. In 1998 he received the Novartis Prizes for Immunology and he was also elected a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

Death His death on 4 March 2007 in Charleston, South Carolina, at age 84, was followed a few days later by his wife's. Both had spent a year together at the same extended care facility.

Selected publications

(Co-author)