Frank Plummer
{{Short description|Canadian scientist (1952–2020)}}
Francis Allan Plummer {{Post-nominals|country=CAN|OC|OM|FRSC}} (2 December 1952 – 4 February 2020) was a Canadian scientist, academic and HIV/AIDS researcher. He was "a recognized specialist in infectious diseases whose work influenced public health policy in Canada and abroad".{{cite web|url=http://www.gg.ca/honour.aspx?id=8483&t=12&ln=Plummer|title=Order of Canada citation|date=11 June 2018}} He was Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Medicine and Medical Microbiology at the University of Manitoba and Scientific Director General, National Microbiology Laboratory.
Life and career
Plummer was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.{{cite news |first=Solomon |last=Israel |url=https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/plummer-mourned-as-outstanding-scientist-who-helped-curb-hiv-567566212.html |title=Plummer mourned as outstanding scientist who helped curb HIV |newspaper=Winnipeg Free Press |date=4 February 2020 }} He studied medicine at the University of Manitoba, where he specialized in infectious diseases.{{cite journal |first=Priya |last=Venkatesan |title=Obituary: Francis (Frank) Allan Plummer |journal=The Lancet Infectious Diseases |volume=20 |issue=4 |page=421 |date=1 April 2020 |doi=10.1016/S1473-3099(20)30188-2 |pmc=7270945 |doi-access=free }}
In 1980, he went to Kenya in response to a request from the University of Nairobi for assistance in managing an outbreak of chancroid. While there, in 1982 he began studying AIDS transmission in 1982, and beginning in 1984 was part of a research collaboration in Nairobi between the University of Manitoba and the University of Nairobi studying sexually transmitted infections. His research described the heterosexual epidemiology of HIV, the increased risk of HIV infection in men associated with previous chancroid infection and of male circumcision in reducing such risk, and identified immunological and genetic features shared by a group of female sex workers who demonstrated immunity to HIV.
On returning to Canada in 1999, he became senior scientific advisor to the Public Health Agency of Canada, director general of the Centre for Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, and scientific director general of the National Microbiology Laboratory,{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-51317386 |title=World-renowned HIV researcher Frank Plummer, 67, dies |publisher=BBC News |date=5 February 2020 }} where he remained for 13 years, leading the Canadian laboratory response to SARS and the H1N1 pandemic and overseeing the development of the successful VSV EBOV vaccine for Ebola viral hemorrhagic fever.{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-50858172 |title=Acclaimed scientist gets brain surgery for alcohol addiction |publisher=BBC News |date=19 January 2020 }}
Among his other research, Plummer discovered a human parvovirus that causes a disease resembling erythema infectiosum, which has played an important role in development of adeno-associated virus gene therapy. At the time of his death, he was working to develop an HIV vaccine.{{Cite news |first=Wency |last=Leung |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-its-given-me-my-life-back-how-deep-brain-stimulation-treats/|title=Deep-brain stimulation gave a renowned scientist with alcoholism his life back |date=16 December 2019 |access-date=23 August 2020 }}
Honours
In 2006, Plummer was made an Officer of the Order of Canada. In 2009, he was made a Member of the Order of Manitoba in recognition for being "an internationally renowned physician-scientist and expert in infectious diseases who has significantly contributed to global health".{{cite web|url=http://www.manitobalg.ca/bios.php#plummer |title=Frank Plummer, O.C. |website=Awards: Order of Manitoba |year=2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150101144627/http://www.manitobalg.ca/bios.php#plummer|archive-date=1 January 2015 |url-status=dead}} In 2014, he was awarded the Killam Prize for AIDS research.{{cite news |first=Elisha |last=Dacey |url=http://metronews.ca/news/winnipeg/998194/winnipeg-researcher-dr-frank-plummer-awarded-killam-prize-for-aids-research/|title=Winnipeg scientist Dr. Frank Plummer awarded Killam Prize for AIDS research |website=Metro News Winnipeg |date=9 April 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140717072131/http://metronews.ca/news/winnipeg/998194/winnipeg-researcher-dr-frank-plummer-awarded-killam-prize-for-aids-research/ |archive-date=17 July 2014 }} In 2012, he was awarded the Royal Society of Canada's McLaughlin Medal, awarded "for important research of sustained excellence in medical science".{{cite web|url=https://rsc-src.ca/en/past-award-winners#McLaughlin|title=Past award winners: McLaughlin Medal |publisher=Royal Society of Canada |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161014113649/https://rsc-src.ca/en/past-award-winners#McLaughlin |year=2016 |archive-date=14 October 2016 |url-status=dead}} He was the recipient of the Canada Gairdner Wightman Award in 2016.{{cite journal |first=Brian |last=Owens |title=NIAID director wins Canada Gairdner Global Health Award |journal=The Lancet |date=23 March 2016 |volume=387 |issue=10025 |page=1261 |doi=10.1016/S0140-6736(16)30050-2 |pmid=27017308 |pmc=7137847 |doi-access=free }} Plummer had honorary degrees from the University of Calgary, McMaster University, and the University of Windsor.
Private life and death
Plummer was married to Dr. Jo Kennelly; he had three stepchildren and three daughters, and lived in Toronto.{{Cite web |last=Kennelly |first=Jo |url=https://twitter.com/jokennelly/status/1231209695194624000|title=Today is day of facts. Frank Plummer died of 'myocardial ischaemia due to severe coronary atherosclerosis'. A heart attack. His death was sudden and unexpected. He died in our arms. The rumours surrounding his death are fake. Frank lived a life of service to science & humanity |date=22 February 2020 |website=Twitter|access-date=16 March 2020 }}
In 2012, Plummer developed liver failure due to alcoholism; he underwent a liver transplant and as part of an experimental trial was the first recipient in North America of deep brain stimulation for alcohol-use disorder, in December 2018.{{Cite news|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/frank-plummer-deep-brain-stimulation-experimental-treatment-1.5399179|title='I'd be dead': Renowned scientist gets experimental brain surgery to fight alcoholism|publisher=CBC News|access-date=18 December 2019}}{{cite news |url=https://www.ctvnews.ca/health/canadian-scientist-undergoes-novel-brain-stimulation-treatment-for-alcoholism-1.4729940 |title=Canadian scientist undergoes novel brain stimulation treatment for alcoholism |publisher=CTV news |date=15 December 2019 }}
He died of a heart attack on 4 February 2020, while visiting Nairobi for the 40th anniversary of the HIV research collaboration.
References
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Category:Fellows of the Royal Society of Canada
Category:Members of the Order of Manitoba
Category:Officers of the Order of Canada
Category:Academic staff of the University of Manitoba
Category:Canadian microbiologists