Tony Minson

Born in Ilford, Essex, Minson was educated at Ilford High School and went on to study microbiology at the University of Birmingham in 1965. His postgraduate work was at the Research School of Biological Sciences of the Australian National University, researching fungal genetics with E. H. Creaser.[https://archive.today/20130419075052/http://news.admin.cam.ac.uk/news/2003/06/16/newprovicechancellorappointed-2/ University of Cambridge: News and Events: New Pro-Vice-Chancellor appointed (16 June 2003)] (accessed 5 January 2009){{Cite journal

| last1 = Minson | first1 = A. C.

| last2 = Creaser | first2 = E. H.

| title = Purification of a trifunctional enzyme, catalysing three steps of the histidine pathway, from Neurospora crassa

| journal = The Biochemical Journal

| volume = 114

| issue = 1

| pages = 49–56

| year = 1969

| pmid = 4309307

| pmc = 1184794

| doi=10.1042/bj1140049

}} He gained his PhD in 1968 for work on the biosynthesis of histidine in Neurospora crassa.{{cite thesis |degree=PhD |first=Anthony Charles|last=Minson |title=Studies of the biosynthesis of histidine in Neurospora crassa |publisher=Australian National University |date=1968 |url=http://trove.nla.gov.au/work/8261269|author-link=Tony Minson}}

By the early 1970s, Minson had returned to the University of Birmingham. In 1976, he took up a position as Senior Research Associate at the University of Cambridge. In the mid-1980s, he became head of the Division of Virology and, in 1991, was appointed professor of virology in the Department of Pathology. He is a fellow of Wolfson College.[http://www.wolfson.cam.ac.uk/people/professor-anthony-minson Wolfson College, Cambridge: Professor Anthony Minson] (accessed 7 January 2013)

File:Herpes simplex virus TEM B82-0474 lores.jpg]]

Since moving to Cambridge, Minson's research has focused on animal viruses, particularly those of the herpesvirus family, including herpes simplex virus (HSV) and human cytomegalovirus.{{Cite journal | last1 = Browne | first1 = H. | last2 = Smith | first2 = G. | last3 = Beck | first3 = S. | last4 = Minson | first4 = T. | title = A complex between the MHC class I homologue encoded by human cytomegalovirus and β2 microglobulin | doi = 10.1038/347770a0 | journal = Nature | volume = 347 | issue = 6295 | pages = 770–772 | year = 1990 | pmid = 2172831| bibcode = 1990Natur.347..770B | s2cid = 4249803 }} These large and complex enveloped DNA viruses commonly infect humans, causing a lifelong latent infection. Conditions associated with HSV include cold sores and genital herpes, and both HSV and cytomegalovirus can be life-threatening in immunodeficient people. Much of Minson's research has investigated herpesvirus replication and life cycle, viral pathogenesis and the immune response. His work has contributed to understanding the processes by which HSV fuses with the cell membrane and acquires its envelope.[http://www.rae.ac.uk/submissions/ra5a.aspx?id=112&type=hei&subid=2707 rae2008: UOA 3 - Infection and Immunology: University of Cambridge: RA5a: Research environment and esteem] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130514055527/http://www.rae.ac.uk/Submissions/ra5a.aspx?id=112&type=hei&subid=2707 |date=2013-05-14 }} (accessed 14 January 2013)[http://www.dbc.uci.edu/~faculty/wagner/hsv4f.html Herpes simplex virus Research: HSV Replication] {{Webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20121212173412/http://www.dbc.uci.edu/~faculty/wagner/hsv4f.html |date=2012-12-12 }} (accessed 9 January 2013) As of 2013, his research focuses on herpesvirus entry, in particular how the viral membrane proteins cooperate to induce fusion, as well as assembly, in particular of the viral membrane proteins.[http://www.path.cam.ac.uk/pages/minson-browne/ University of Cambridge: Department of Pathology: Professor Tony Minson & Dr Helena Browne] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090221060047/http://www.path.cam.ac.uk/pages/minson-browne/ |date=2009-02-21 }} (accessed 10 January 2013)

Minson has also worked in collaboration with Margaret Stanley on another DNA virus, human papillomavirus, which is associated with cervical cancer.{{Cite journal | last1 = Stanley | first1 = M. A. | last2 = Browne | first2 = H. M. | last3 = Appleby | first3 = M. | last4 = Minson | first4 = A. C. | title = Properties of a non-tumorigenic human cervical keratinocyte cell line | doi = 10.1002/ijc.2910430422 | journal = International Journal of Cancer | volume = 43 | issue = 4 | pages = 672–676 | year = 1989 | pmid = 2467886| s2cid = 25064033 }} His research in the early 1970s was in the field of plant viruses, including tobacco rattle virus and tobacco necrosis virus, in collaboration with Graham Darby and others.{{Cite journal | last1 = Darby | first1 = G. | last2 = Minson | first2 = A. C. | doi = 10.1099/0022-1317-21-2-285 | title = The Structure of Tobacco Rattle Virus Ribonucleic Acids: Common Nucleotide Sequences in the RNA Species | journal = Journal of General Virology | volume = 21 | issue = 2 | pages = 285–295 | year = 1973 | doi-access = free }}{{Cite journal | last1 = Shoulder | first1 = A. | last2 = Darby | first2 = G. | last3 = Minson | first3 = T. | doi = 10.1038/251733a0 | title = RNA—RNA hybridisation using 125I-labelled RNA from tobacco necrosis virus and its satellite | journal = Nature | volume = 251 | issue = 5477 | pages = 733–735 | year = 1974 | pmid = 4427674| bibcode = 1974Natur.251..733S | s2cid = 4288038 }} Leszek Borysiewicz and Geoffrey L. Smith are among his other research collaborators,{{Cite journal

| last1 = Bell | first1 = S.

| last2 = Cranage | first2 = M.

| last3 = Borysiewicz | first3 = L.

| last4 = Minson | first4 = T.

| title = Induction of immunoglobulin G Fc receptors by recombinant vaccinia viruses expressing glycoproteins E and I of herpes simplex virus type 1

| journal = Journal of Virology

| volume = 64

| issue = 5

| pages = 2181–2186

| year = 1990

| doi = 10.1128/JVI.64.5.2181-2186.1990

| pmid = 2157879

| pmc = 249377

}} and notable students have included Tony Kouzarides.{{Cite journal | last1 = Laursen | first1 = L. | doi = 10.1126/science.caredit.a0800097 | title = Creativity and Persistence Overcome Failure: Tony Kouzarides tells the story of his early career as a comedy of errors | journal = Science | year = 2008 }}{{Cite journal

| last1 = Cranage | first1 = M. P.

| last2 = Kouzarides | first2 = T.

| author-link2=Tony Kouzarides

| last3 = Bankier | first3 = A. T.

| last4 = Satchwell | first4 = S.

| last5 = Weston | first5 = K.

| last6 = Tomlinson | first6 = P.

| last7 = Barrell | first7 = B.

| last8 = Hart | first8 = H.

| last9 = Bell | first9 = S. E.

| last10 = Minson | first10 = A. C.

| title = Identification of the human cytomegalovirus glycoprotein B gene and induction of neutralizing antibodies via its expression in recombinant vaccinia virus

| journal = The EMBO Journal

| volume = 5

| issue = 11

| pages = 3057–3063

| year = 1986

| pmid = 3024973

| pmc = 1167261

| doi = 10.1002/j.1460-2075.1986.tb04606.x

}}

In the early 1990s, Minson's group was one of several investigating a novel method of attenuating viruses for use in live vaccines. One or more of the genes absolutely required for replication is deleted and the virus is grown in a cell line engineered to express these gene products. The resulting virus can infect normal human cells but should be safe because it cannot replicate in them. Such replication-impaired viruses unite many of the advantages of both live and killed virus vaccines and are much less likely to revert to a more virulent form than earlier methods of attenuation.{{Cite journal

| last1 = Dudek | first1 = T.

| last2 = Knipe | first2 = D. M.

| doi = 10.1016/j.virol.2005.09.020

| title = Replication-defective viruses as vaccines and vaccine vectors

| journal = Virology

| volume = 344

| issue = 1

| pages = 230–239

| year = 2006

| pmid = 16364753

| doi-access = free

| citeseerx = 10.1.1.496.9608

}}Gregoriadis G, McCormack B, Allison AC (eds). Vaccine Design: The Role of Cytokine Networks, pp. 120–122, (Plenum Press; 1997) ({{ISBN|0306458187}})

Minson and co-workers pioneered a modification of this approach in which the disabled virus is restricted to a single cycle of replication. Using HSV-2, which causes genital herpes, they disabled the virus by deleting the viral gene encoding the membrane protein glycoprotein H (gH). This product is not required until after the viral assembly process, which means that the disabled virus can undergo a single round of replication in normal human cells, but the progeny virus cannot infect new cells. Minson's group called the resulting virus a "disabled infectious single cycle" (DISC) virus; similarly disabled viruses are also termed "single-cycle" viruses. Their work with DISC HSV-2 led to a series of vaccine candidates, which were developed by Cantab Pharmaceuticals.Stanberry LR. Understanding Herpes: A Concise Overview of Recent Advances and New Resources, p. 98 (2nd edn) (University Press of Mississippi; 2006) ([https://books.google.com/books?id=ER_L9FhfjgIC&dq=%22tony+minson%22&pg=PA98 Googlebooks]){{Cite journal

| last1 = Koelle | first1 = D. M.

| last2 = Corey | first2 = L.

| title = Recent progress in herpes simplex virus immunobiology and vaccine research

| journal = Clinical Microbiology Reviews

| volume = 16

| issue = 1

| pages = 96–113

| year = 2003

| pmid = 12525427

| pmc = 145296

| doi = 10.1128/CMR.16.1.96-113.2003

}} The DISC HSV-2 vaccine was promising in animal models and early clinical trials, appearing safe and well tolerated, and eliciting appropriate immune responses.[https://web.archive.org/web/20060322062105/http://www.who.int/vaccine_research/diseases/soa_std/en/index3.html WHO: Sexually Transmitted Diseases: Herpes simplex type 2] (accessed 10 January 2013){{Cite journal

| last1 = Whitley | first1 = R. J.

| last2 = Roizman | first2 = B.

| doi = 10.1172/JCI16126

| title = Herpes simplex viruses: Is a vaccine tenable?

| journal = Journal of Clinical Investigation

| volume = 110

| issue = 2

| pages = 145–151

| year = 2002

| pmid = 12122103

| pmc =151069

}} However, a large phase II trial of the agent as a therapeutic vaccine in people with genital herpes failed to demonstrate any benefit, and further development has concentrated on the DISC HSV-2 vaccine's potential to prevent infection.Gross G, Tyring SK (eds) Sexually Transmitted Infections and Sexually Transmitted Diseases, p. 698 (Springer; 2011) ({{ISBN|978-3-642-14662-6}} The single-cycle strategy can be used to generate live vaccines against other viruses, and such a vaccine has recently been successfully developed for the bluetongue virus of sheep.{{Cite journal

| last1 = Matsuo | first1 = E.

| last2 = Celma | first2 = C. C. P.

| last3 = Boyce | first3 = M.

| last4 = Viarouge | first4 = C.

| last5 = Sailleau | first5 = C.

| last6 = Dubois | first6 = E.

| last7 = Bréard | first7 = E.

| last8 = Thiéry | first8 = R.

| last9 = Zientara | first9 = S.

| doi = 10.1128/JVI.05412-11

| last10 = Roy | first10 = P.

| title = Generation of Replication-Defective Virus-Based Vaccines That Confer Full Protection in Sheep against Virulent Bluetongue Virus Challenge

| journal = Journal of Virology

| volume = 85

| issue = 19

| pages = 10213–10221

| year = 2011

| pmid = 21795358

| pmc =3196398

| url = https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00939562/document}} Single-cycle viruses are also widely used as vaccine vectors, carrying genes from other viruses.{{Cite journal

| last1 = Gomme | first1 = E. A.

| last2 = Faul | first2 = E. J.

| last3 = Flomenberg | first3 = P.

| last4 = McGettigan | first4 = J. P.

| last5 = Schnell | first5 = M. J.

| title = Characterization of a Single-Cycle Rabies Virus-Based Vaccine Vector

| doi = 10.1128/JVI.01870-09

| journal = Journal of Virology

| volume = 84

| issue = 6

| pages = 2820–2831

| year = 2010

| pmid = 20053743

| pmc =2826042

}}

In the early 2000s, a collaboration between Minson and Matthew Cooper's group from the University of Cambridge's chemistry department pioneered a novel acoustic technique for detecting viruses. The technique allows a single virus particle to be detected in a sample and has the potential for use as a quick yet sensitive monitor of viral infection.{{Cite journal

| last1 = Cooper | first1 = M. A.

| last2 = Dultsev | first2 = F. N.

| last3 = Minson | first3 = T.

| last4 = Ostanin | first4 = V. P.

| last5 = Abell | first5 = C.

| last6 = Klenerman | first6 = D.

| title = Direct and sensitive detection of a human virus by rupture event scanning

| journal = Nature Biotechnology

| volume = 19

| issue = 9

| pages = 833–837

| year = 2001

| doi = 10.1038/nbt0901-833

| pmid = 11533641

| s2cid = 7307876

}}{{Cite journal | author = Anon| journal = Nature| title = Direct and sensitive detection of a human virus by rupture event scanning: researchers hope to hear HIV, hepatitis and 'flu| doi = 10.1038/news010906-1 | year = 2001 | doi-access = free}} The researchers co-founded the company Akubio in 2001 to exploit the discovery; the company developed biosensors for detecting bacteria and viruses. It was acquired by Inverness Medical Innovations in 2008.[http://www.businessweekly.co.uk/biomedtech-/11002-recycled-cambridge-biosensor-technology-attracts-millions-in-investment Vargas L. Recycled Cambridge biosensor technology attracts millions in investment Business Weekly (27 August 2008)] (accessed 9 January 2013)

Minson is a long-term member of the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV) Study Group that defines herpesvirus taxonomy.{{Cite journal | last1 = Roizmann | first1 = B. | last2 = Desrosiers | first2 = R. C. | last3 = Fleckenstein | first3 = B. | last4 = Lopez | first4 = C. | last5 = Minson | first5 = A. C. | last6 = Studdert | first6 = M. J. | doi = 10.1007/BF01317276 | title = The familyHerpesviridae: An update | journal = Archives of Virology | volume = 123 | issue = 3–4 | pages = 425–449 | year = 1992 | pmid = 1562239| doi-access = free }}{{Cite journal | last1 = Davison | first1 = A. J. | last2 = Eberle | first2 = R. | last3 = Ehlers | first3 = B. | last4 = Hayward | first4 = G. S. | last5 = McGeoch | first5 = D. J. | last6 = Minson | first6 = A. C. | last7 = Pellett | first7 = P. E. | last8 = Roizman | first8 = B. | last9 = Studdert | first9 = M. J. | doi = 10.1007/s00705-008-0278-4 | last10 = Thiry | first10 = E. | title = The order Herpesvirales | journal = Archives of Virology | volume = 154 | issue = 1 | pages = 171–177 | year = 2008 | pmid = 19066710| pmc =3552636 }} In 2008, as a result of the group's deliberations on research into herpesvirus genetics, the ICTV promoted the herpesvirus family to an order and split it into three families.

File:CamLight.jpg, centre of the university's government, lit up for the 800th anniversary]]

Minson has been highly active in university administration. In 2001–3, he chaired the School of Biological Sciences, one of the six schools of the University of Cambridge. In 2003, he was appointed Pro-Vice-Chancellor of the university, in succession to Malcolm Grant. Minson was the first, and most senior, of a new team of five Pro-Vice-Chancellors, holding particular responsibility for planning and resources.[http://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/reporter/2008-09/weekly/6123/3.html The Reporter: Office of Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Planning and Resources): Notice] (accessed 9 January 2013)[https://www.theguardian.com/education/2003/jun/17/highereducation.careers1 Guardian: Cambridge appoints new pro-vice-chancellor] (accessed 9 January 2013) He said of his role: We have a duty to maintain the university's values of scientific enquiry and scholarship whilst embracing the principles of sustainable, achievable reform. He served in this position until 2009, the university's 800th anniversary year. Soon after his appointment, he was thrown into controversy over his strong support for a proposed new primate research centre attached to the university, which was the target of a campaign by animal rights activists.[http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?storyCode=185223§ioncode=26 Times Higher Education: In the news: Tony Minson] (accessed 9 January 2013) The plans were later abandoned because of escalating costs, due in part to the activism.{{Cite journal

| author = Anon

| doi = 10.1038/nn0504-413

| title = A defeat for primate research

| journal = Nature Neuroscience

| volume = 7

| issue = 5

| page = 413

| year = 2004

| pmid = 15114345

| doi-access = free

}}[https://www.theguardian.com/society/2004/jan/28/health.highereducation Guardian: Cambridge abandons plans for primate lab] (accessed 9 January 2013 In 2005, the university launched a major fund-raising campaign to mark the 800th anniversary; the £1 billion target was achieved ahead of schedule in 2010.[http://www.campaign.cam.ac.uk/?dp=2010061001 Cambridge University Development Office: While the 800th Anniversary Campaign has been completed, Cambridge's fundraising continues] (accessed 10 January 2013)

Minson has also served on the steering committee of the multidisciplinary Cambridge Infectious Disease group, launched in 2004.{{cite web |url=http://www.infectiousdisease.cam.ac.uk/resources/ |title=Cambridge Infectious Disease: About Cambridge Infectious Disease |access-date=2009-01-05 |url-status=bot: unknown |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090228090818/http://www.infectiousdisease.cam.ac.uk/resources/ |archive-date=February 28, 2009 }} (accessed 9 January 2013)[http://www.infectiousdisease.cam.ac.uk/about%20us Cambridge Infectious Diseases: About Us] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130110091151/http://www.infectiousdisease.cam.ac.uk/about%20us |date=2013-01-10 }} (accessed 10 January 2013) In 2010–12, he chaired the syndicate governing Cambridge University Press.[http://www.cambridge.org/servlet/file/store1896/item6795315/version4/AR_2012_FINAL.pdf Cambridge University Press: Annual Report for the year ended 30 April 2012]{{Dead link|date=July 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=no }} (accessed 7 January 2013) Outside the university, he served on the council of the Society for General Microbiology in 1990–94 and 2003–7, and (as of 2012) is the reviews editor of their journal, the Journal of General Virology.[https://www.sgm.ac.uk/membership/honorary.cfm Society for General Microbiology: Membership: Honorary] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120905200742/https://www.sgm.ac.uk/membership/honorary.cfm |date=2012-09-05 }} (accessed 9 January 2013)[http://vir.sgmjournals.org/site/misc/edboard.xhtml Journal of General Virology: JGV Editors 2012] {{Webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20130415222736/http://vir.sgmjournals.org/site/misc/edboard.xhtml |date=2013-04-15 }} (accessed 9 January 2013) He was an officer of the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council's Institute for Animal Health (now the Pirbright Institute) from 1997–2003.[http://opencorporates.com/companies/gb/00559784 Open Corporates: The Pirbright Institute] (accessed 9 January 2013) As of 2013, Minson is on the board of the Lister Institute of Preventive Medicine and is a trustee of the Animal Health Trust.[http://www.lister-institute.org.uk/organisation.html The Lister Institute of Preventive Medicine: Organisation] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121214064553/http://www.lister-institute.org.uk/organisation.html |date=2012-12-14 }} (accessed 7 January 2013)[http://www.aht.org.uk/cms-display/faq.html Animal Health Trust: Frequently Asked Questions] (accessed 8 January 2013)

He has drawn attention to the cost of bureaucracy imposed on researchers by government agencies, writing in 2004:

{{Quotation|To be against improvement in standards is like being against motherhood, but we should be alert to the dangers of universal codes of practice imposed for administrative tidiness. The fact is that the great scientific leaps of the past 50 years have not been made

in laboratories using validated standard operating procedures, well-defined line-management systems, and 6-monthly milestones.Minson T. (2004) Comment: Codes of practice in research. Microbiol Today 31: 156 ([http://www.sgm.ac.uk/pubs/micro_today/pdf/080413.pdf pdf]{{Dead link|date=July 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=no }})}}

Minson was elected a fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences in 2002.[http://www.acmedsci.ac.uk/index.php?pid=59&fid=603 Academy of Medical Sciences: Fellows] (accessed 5 January 2009) He was elected an honorary member of the Society for General Microbiology in 2011.

{{reflist|2}}

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20090221060047/http://www.path.cam.ac.uk/pages/minson-browne/ University of Cambridge: Department of Pathology: Professor Tony Minson & Dr Helena Browne]

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Category:British virologists

Category:Fellows of the Academy of Medical Sciences (United Kingdom)

Category:Fellows of Wolfson College, Cambridge

Category:Living people

Category:Alumni of the University of Birmingham

Category:1944 births