Rafi Ahmed

Rafi Ahmed (* 1948 in Hyderabad , India ) is an Indian- American immunologist at Emory University in Atlanta , Georgia .

Ahmed contributed significantly to the elucidation of the differentiation of memory T cells and the importance of T cells and B cells in the development of immunity against viruses . Among other things, mTOR could be identified as the central element of the differentiation of CD8- positive memory cells, whereas PD-1 was identified as the most important mediator of the “exhaustion” of T cells in chronic infections . His research enabled u. a. the development of PD-1 inhibitors (e.g. atezolizumab , ipilimumab , nivolumab and pembrolizumab ; see also immune checkpoint inhibitor ).

Ahmed earned a bachelor's degree in chemistry from Osmania University in Hyderabad in 1968 . At Idaho State University in Pocatello , he earned a second bachelor's degree in 1972 and a master's degree in 1974 , both in microbiology . He worked for two years as a research assistant at McGill University , where he turned to virology , and in 1981 he received a PhD from Harvard University . As a postdoc he worked at the Scripps Research Institute , where before 1984 University of California, Los Angeles , first assistant professor was, in 1988 associate professor received in 1992 and a full professor. In 1995 he moved to Emory University in Atlanta , Georgia, as founding director of the Emory Vaccine Center and professor of microbiology and immunology . Since 2000 he has also headed the Emory / Atlanta Center for AIDS Research there.

Ahmed has been a member of the National Academy of Sciences since 2009 . In 2017 he received the Robert Koch Prize and the William B. Coley Award . As of November 2017, it has an h-index of 125.

Rafi Ahmed is married and has two children.

Web links

• Rafi Ahmed, PhD at the Emory Vaccine Center at Emory University (emory.edu)
• “Game Changers” - Biography of Rafi Ahmed at Emory University (emory.edu)
• Rafi Ahmed, Ph.D. - Oral History at the American Association of Immunologists (aai.org)

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Milestones on the way to new vaccines and immunotherapies , PM Robert Koch Foundation June 15, 2017, accessed on July 31, 2017
2. ↑ Rafi Ahmed. In: nasonline.org. Retrieved July 15, 2017 . 
3. ^ Robert Koch Foundation - Rafi Ahmed. In: robert-koch-stiftung.de. Retrieved July 15, 2017 . 
4. ^ Rafi Ahmed - Google Scholar Citations. In: scholar.google.com. Retrieved July 15, 2017 .