Douglas R. Lowy, M.D.
Deputy Director
National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda,
USA
Dr. Douglas Lowy received his M.D. from New York University, USA. Dr. John Schiller received his Ph.D. from University of Washington, USA. Professor Ian Frazer received his M.D. from University of Melbourne, Australia.
Drs. Lowy and Schiller worked together at the National Cancer Institute and discovered that the major virion protein of human papillomaviruses (HPV) could self-assemble into virus-like particles (VLPs) and the VLPs could strongly induce protective immune response against the viruses.
Prof. Frazer working at the University of Queensland discovered the VLP self-assembly process. These researchers then developed VLP production processes from recombinant proteins. This led to the development of HPV vaccines using VLPs, which are highly effective owing to the enhanced immunogenicity and the presentation of native antigenic epitopes to the immune system.
The achievements of Drs. Lowy, Schiller, and Frazer have led to the development of HPV vaccines, which have been internationally implemented. The vaccines have prevented HPV infection, cervical cancer and other HPV-related cancers and saved countless of lives.