Following four interviews with Max Blythe, Dr Denis Burkitt (1911-1993) is joined by former colleague Sir Anthony Epstein to discuss a first meeting in London in 1961 and discussion of a tumour of African children of fascinating geographical distribution. Sir Anthony then takes up the story of the collaborative relationship that ensued in which tumours from Burkitt working in Kampala were despatched to London's Bland Sutton Institute where numerous early attempts to isolate a virus from the tumour tissue failed. Various cell culture techniques were tried but a herpes-like virus was eventually isolated more by luck than judgement. There follows discussion of subsequent research on the implicated virus which proved more widespread and influential than anticipated - the EB virus. Discussion finally turns to progress in the development of a vaccine. It is a fascinating discussion in which the contributors exchange recollections of various lines of collaboration as well as one or two curious administrative barriers to their progress.
Burkitt's lymphoma, Epstein-Barr (EB) virus, virus culture techniques, infectious mononucleosis, vaccine development
Allergy and immunology, Microbiology, Nutritional sciences, Pathology, Virology, Burkitt’s lymphoma,
vid-069, MSVA_059
Permanent link to this resource: https://doi.org/10.24384/000085
Epstein, AnthonyBurkitt, Denis
Learning Resources
Original artefact: 1991 RADAR resource: 2017
Oxford, UK
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