In 1973, Peter Doherty, working with Rolf Zinkernagel, discovered that virusimmune, thymus-derived lymphocytes (T cells) recognize virus-infected cells via an antigenic pattern dependent on both the virus and the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) antigens of the host. This discovery dramatically changed immunological thinking by provoking development of new concepts about the operation of MHC-linked immune response genes, and by providing a "raison d'être" for the MHC as a guidance system for T cells. Since 1973, Peter Doherty has been a leading contributor to this field at both the theoretical and experimental levels.
