Ronald Finn (12 June 1930 – 21 May 2004) was a medical researcher born in

Liverpool Liverpool is a port City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. It is situated on the eastern side of the River Mersey, Mersey Estuary, near the Irish Sea, north-west of London. With a population ...

, England. His research work contributed to advancing knowledge on the

Rhesus factor The Rh blood group system is a human blood group system. It contains proteins on the surface of red blood cells. After the ABO blood group system, it is most likely to be involved in transfusion reactions. The Rh blood group system consisted of ...

. He died of cancer of the stomach.

Career and awards

1954 - Qualified as a medical doctor from

Liverpool University The University of Liverpool (abbreviated UOL) is a public research university in Liverpool, England. Founded in 1881 as University College Liverpool, Victoria University, it received Royal Charter by King Edward VII in 1903 attaining the de ...

. 1958 - MRCP 1961 - Appointed consultant in kidney disease at a Liverpool Hospital. 1980 - Finn, together with

Cyril Clarke Sir Cyril Astley Clarke (22 August 1907 – 21 November 2000) was a British physician, geneticist and lepidopterist. He was honoured for his pioneering work on prevention of Rh disease of the newborn, and also for his work on the genetics of the ...

, John Gorman, Vincent Freda, and William Pollack were jointly awarded the 1980

Albert Lasker Award for Clinical Medical Research Albert may refer to: Companies * Albert Computers, Inc., a computer manufacturer in the 1980s * Albert Czech Republic, a supermarket chain in the Czech Republic * Albert Heijn, a supermarket chain in the Netherlands * Albert Market, a street mar ...

for pioneering work on the

Rhesus blood group system The Rh blood group system is a human blood group system. It contains proteins on the surface of red blood cells. After the ABO blood group system, it is most likely to be involved in transfusion reactions. The Rh blood group system consisted o ...

, the role of anti-RhD

antibodies An antibody (Ab) or immunoglobulin (Ig) is a large, Y-shaped protein belonging to the immunoglobulin superfamily which is used by the immune system to identify and neutralize antigens such as bacteria and viruses, including those that caus ...

in the causation of

Rh disease Rh disease (also known as rhesus isoimmunization, Rh (D) disease, or rhesus incompatibility, and blue baby disease) is a type of hemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn (HDFN). The term "Rh disease" is commonly used to refer to HDFN due to a ...

, and the prevention of Rh disease with anti-D antibodies. 1997 - Retired from clinical work. 2000 - Appointed visiting professor in

immunology Immunology is a branch of biology and medicine that covers the study of Immune system, immune systems in all Organism, organisms. Immunology charts, measures, and contextualizes the Physiology, physiological functioning of the immune system in ...

at Liverpool University.

References

1980 Lasker award for clinical advances in Rh diseaseObituary on BMJ website - includes a photograph

External links

* 1930 births 2004 deaths Deaths from stomach cancer 20th-century English medical doctors Scientists from Liverpool Jewish physicians Recipients of the Lasker–DeBakey Clinical Medical Research Award {{UK-scientist-stub