Alumnus Douglas R. Green was awarded the Wilbur Lucius Cross Medal at the Yale Center for British Art on October 7, 2019. The Wilbur Lucius Cross Medal is an honor presented each year by the Graduate School Alumni Association to a small number of outstanding alumni (4-5). The medal recognizes distinguished achievements in scholarship, teaching, academic administration, and public service–all areas in which the legendary Dean Cross excelled. It was first awarded in 1966.
Dr. Green began his career as a Yale undergraduate majoring in Biology and then obtained a Yale Ph.D. in Biology under the mentorship of the late Professor Richard Gershon in 1981 working in immunology.
He went on to become a Professor of Immunology at the University of Alberta, and later moved to the La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology as Head of the Division of Cell Biology for 15 years. He is currently the Peter C. Doherty Endowed Chair of Immunology at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. His scholarly contributions to the field of cell death and its regulation has led to over 500 publication, and the International Cell Death Society Prize. As a strong contributor to the immunological community he has served for years on NIH study sections, and twenty editorial boards, including Editor-in Chief for Oncogene. As an educator you won an Outstanding Teaching Award from the University of Alberta.
He is one of sciences “Picassos” – a polymath of prodigious intellect, an eclectic and magnetic mind, a pioneer of trends in thinking, a relentless buster of dogma, a courageous explorer and dedicated adherent to truth and honesty.
He is known for his enthusiasm, commitment to open collaboration and sharing of ideas, and a great mentor of junior researchers and trainees.