P003088 revised AU-VU:EOAS Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation

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 English AACR2 Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules Person created 2000-04-06 human Rosanne Walker & Annette Alafaci updated 2026-02-12 human https://www.eoas.info/biogs/P003088b.htm person Adams Jerry McKee FAA FAHMS FRS AACR2 17 June 1940 Place of Birth United States of America Molecular biologist Jerry Adams is noted for his achievements in molecular biology, immunology and the molecular genetics of cancer. Although born in the USA, Adams has carried out most of his research in Australia at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research (WEHI) in Melbourne. He is now joint head of the Institute's Molecular Genetics of Cancer Division, a position he shares with his with his wife Suzanne Cory. Together they and their research team have made many major contributions to medical science. They were the first clone mammalian genes in Australia and discovered (i) that antibody genes encode to recombine in a myriad of ways to help fight infection, (ii) the genetic mutation that leads to Burkitt's lymphoma and (iii) the connection between apoptosis (programmed cell death) and cancer, while studying bcl-2 gene in follicular lymphoma (the most common human lymphoma).

After completing his PhD, Adams was awarded the Helen Hay Whitney Fellowship to pursue post-doctoral training. Firstly, Adams spent a year working for Professor James Watson at the MRCL of Molecular Biology in Cambridge, England. He then moved to the Institut de Biologie Moléculaire, at the University of Geneva where he trained under Professor A. Tissiéres. During this stay in Geneva he met Suzanne Cory and started their long-term collaboration. Adams and Cory moved to Australia and began working at WEHI where they established the Institute's first molecular genetics laboratory. Their research first looked into how lymphocytes could produce so many different antibodies providing insights into the constant and variable segments of antibodies and how they are rearranged and deleted. Next Adams and his team moved into the study of the genetics of cancer and again made major contributions. In 1982 Adams, and Cory, was made joint head of the new Molecular Genetics of Cancer Division at WEHI and continues to hold this post today. His efforts and achievements have been widely recognized and awarded.

1962 1962 Education - Bachelor of Science (BSc), Emory University in Atlanta, USA 1962 1967 Career position - National Science Foundation Pre-doctoral Fellow at Harvard University, USA 1967 1967 Education - Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Harvard University in Massachusetts, USA 1967 1968 Career position - Helen Hay Whitney Fellow at the Medical Research Council Laboratory (MRCL) of Molecular Biology in Cambridge, UK 1969 1970 Career position - Helen Hay Whitney Fellow at the Institut de Biologie Moléculaire, Université de Genéve 1971 1976 Award - Established Investigator of American Heart Association award 1972 1976 Career position - Research Officer at The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research (WEHI), Victoria 1977 1979 Career position - Research Fellow then Senior Research Fellow at WEHI 1980 1982 Career position - Principal Research Fellow at WEHI 1982 Career position - Senior Principal Research Fellow at WEHI 1982 Career position - Joint Head of Molecular Biology of Cancer Division (formally the Molecular Biology Unit) at the WEHI 1982 1982 Award - David Syme Research Prize (with Suzanne Cory), University of Melbourne 1986 Award - Fellow, Australian Academy of Science (FAA) 1986 1986 Award - Lemberg Medal and Oration, Australian Biochemical Society 1992 1992 Award - Fellow, The Royal Society, London (FRS) 1993 Career position - Research Professor of Molecular Genetics, University of Melbourne 1995 1995 Career position - Member, Fellowship Selection Committee (SC8), Australian Academy of Science 1996 1996 Award - Fellow, Royal Society of Victoria (FRSV) 1996 1998 Career position - Member, Awards Committee, Australian Society for Biochemical and Molecular Biology 1997 Career position - Member of the Board, Australian Genome Research Facility 1997 2004? Career position - Member of the Board, CRC for Discovery of Genes for Common Human Diseases 1998 1998 Career position - Member, Conference Planning Committee, Australian Society for Biochemical and Molecular Biology 2000 2000 Career position - Member, Discipline Panel (Cell Biology), National Health and Medical Research Council 2000 2000 Award - Tall Poppy Award, Australian Institute of Political Science 1 Jan 2001 1 Jan 2001 Award - Centenary Medal - for service to Australian society and science in medical research 2004 2004 Career position - Member, Organising Committee, Lorne Genome Conference 2008 Award - Member, National Academy of Science, U.S.A. 2014 2014 Award - Macfarlane Burnet Medal and Lecture, Australian Academy of Science 2021 Award - Fellow, Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences (FAHMS) David Syme Research Prize, The University of Melbourne (1904 - )

Awarded the Prize (with Suzanne Cory) 1982

 Lemberg Medal and Oration, Australian Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (1968 - )

Awarded the Medal by the Australian Biochemical Society 1986

 Australian Academy of Science (1954 - )

Elected Fellow 1986

 Macfarlane Burnet Medal and Lecture, Australian Academy of Science (1971 - )

Awarded the Medal 2014

 Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences (2014 - )

Fellow 2021 -

 Royal Society of Victoria (1859 - )

Fellow 1996 -

 CRC for Discovery of Genes for Common Human Diseases (1997 - 2004)

Member of the Board 1997 - ?2004

 Australian Genome Research Facility (1997 - )

Member of the Board 1997 -

 The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research (1915 - )

Joint Head and Senior Principal Research Fellow, Molecular Genetics of Cancer Division 1982 -

 The University of Melbourne (1853 - )

Research Professor of Molecular Genetics 1993 -

 Cory, Suzanne (1942 - )

Wikidata

VIAF - Virtual International Authority File

 Adams, Jerry McKee (1940-)

Trove

 'Adams, Jerry McKee', in Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation, Centre for Transformative Innovation, Swinburne University of Technology Adams, Jerry McKee Swinburne University of Technology, Centre for Transformative Innovation Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation Resource: Fellows of the Academy Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences Fellows of the Academy Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences Resource: The Academy's Fellows [including profiles and other relevant links] Australian Academy of Science The Academy's Fellows [including profiles and other relevant links] Canberra Australian Academy of Science 2019 Resource: Macfarlane Burnet Medal and Lecture Australian Academy of Science Macfarlane Burnet Medal and Lecture Australian Academy of Science 2022 Edited Book: Who's who in Australia 2012 Who's who in Australia 2012 48th Melbourne Crown Content Pty Ltd 2012 Book: Let there be light: 100 years of discovery at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute Crawford, Anne Let there be light: 100 years of discovery at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute Carlton, Vic. Miegunyah Press 2016