Immune Recognition of Viruses and Cancer – A Five-decade Quest
Lewis Lanier, Ph.D.
J. Michael Bishop Distinguished Professor and Chair Emeritus
Department of Microbiology and Immunology
University of California, San Francisco
Elected Member, National Academy of Sciences
Maury Strauss Distinguished Public Lecture
Immune Recognition of Viruses and Cancer – A Five-decade Quest
Date: April 16, 2026
Time: 5:30 - 6:30 p.m. (Reception and hors d'oeuvres at 5 p.m.)
Archived video
About this Seminar
Ninety-nine percent of what we know about the immune system has been discovered since Lanier took his first immunology course at Virginia Tech in 1975. The technological advances in the development of monoclonal antibodies, molecular biology, imaging, and the ability to sequence all the genes expressed in single immune cells have revealed the remarkable mechanisms used by the immune system to protect us from infections and cancer. This knowledge has led to new vaccines, cell-based therapies, and revolutionary treatments for cancer and autoimmune diseases.
Additional Details
This is a free event hosted by Dr. Michael Friedlander and the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute. For more information, please call 540-526-2059.
About Maury Strauss
Maury Strauss was a longtime community benefactor and businessman who supported biomedical research with the goal of energizing the local economy and improving quality of life in our neighborhoods and around the world. In order to ensure the continued success of Roanoke’s biomedical research enterprise, as well as the free public seminars, Mr. Strauss made a generous gift to the series. He passed away in June 2024 at age 99.
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