Peter Openshaw (immunologist)


Peter Openshaw FRCP FMedSci is a clinician-scientist working lung immunology, particularly defence against viral infections. He trained in lung diseases and undertook a PhD in immunology before establishing a laboratory at St Mary's Hospital Medical School. He created the academic department of Respiratory Medicine and the Centre for Respiratory Infection at Imperial College and was elected President of the British Society for Immunology in 2014.

Education and early life

Born in Glastonbury, Somerset, Openshaw attended Millfield Junior School, then Sidcot School and Bootham School followed by Guy's Hospital Medical School. Intercalated BSc in Physiology, qualifying in medicine. Houseman and Senior House Officer at Guy’s, the Royal Brompton Hospital. Medical Registrar, Royal Postgraduate Medical School, 1982-85.

Career

;Immunological work
Originally trained in lung mechanics, his PhD at the National Institute for Medical Research at Mill Hill, London was in T cell immunology. He has worked on protective and harmful immunological reactions to viruses, inflammatory lung disease and vaccine development since 1985, authoring over 200 scientific articles.
;Respiratory virus research
He was awarded the Chanock prize in recognition of his lifetime achievement in work on respiratory syncytial virus research. He has been involved in influenza policy since 2002 as a member of UK advisory boards and was Vice President of ESWI from 2009-2014. In 2009 he set up the MOSAIC consortium, a collaboration of 45 co-investigators studying the host response to influenza in patients admitted to 11 hospitals in London and Liverpool and directs studies of viral challenge of human volunteers.
;Academic leadership
Openshaw established the academic department of Respiratory Medicine on the St Mary’s Campus of Imperial College and created the Centre for Respiratory Infection. He became President of the British Society for Immunology in 2014, the first clinician to lead the Society. He has sat on numerous governmental, grant awarding and international committees.
;Advisory
Openshaw is a member of the New and Emerging Respiratory Virus Threats Advisory Group.

Honours

Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians, Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences ; Fellow of the Society of Biology ; NIHR Senior Investigator.

Selected publications