Sir James Gowans in interview with Max Blythe: Interview 5

Sir James Gowans, former Secretary of the MRC (1977-87) and Secretary General of the Human Frontier Science Programme, Strasbourg (1989-93), recollects Howard Florey in this interview recorded in the centenary year of Florey's birth. After qualifying in medicine from King's College, London, Sir James spent one year studying physiology at Oxford University, and in 1948 went to the Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, Oxford, as a D Phil student under the supervision of Florey, who was professor of pathology. In the interview Sir James discusses the project set by Florey: to what extent is an inflammatory response necessary for an in vivo cure of infectious disease when antibiotics are given.The interview moves on to completion of D Phil studies after a period of illness, a year spent at the Pasteur Institute, Paris - where he developed an interest in infection and immunity - and his return in 1953 to the Dunn School to begin work on lymphocytes, a project suggested by Florey. Sir James then discusses how this work, which solved the problem of lymphocyte turnover in the blood, led to research studies in immunology, demonstrating the role of small lymphocytes. He acknowledges the support of Peter Medawar, who had worked at the Dunn School and maintained a close association with Florey, and he also speaks of Jean Medawar, who had published a paper on lymphocytes from the department in 1940. Sir James then talks about Florey's successful term as president of the Royal Society, and in the final part of the interview he pays a personal tribute, acknowledging the important part Florey played in the development of his scientific career