Professor Pete Kaiser of The Roslin Institute has presented the 2014 Gordon Memorial Lecture. Image Pete Kaiser receives his silver medal for delivering the 2014 Gordon Memorial Lecture from Professor Peter Biggs CBE FRS, Chairman of the Gordon Memorial Trust In honour of Dr Robert Fraser Gordon, an eminent poultry veterinarian and scientist who set up the Houghton Poultry Research Station, the Gordon Memorial Lecture is given each year at the Annual Spring Meeting of the UK Branch of the World's Poultry Science Association. Like Bob Gordon, Pete has dedicated his research career to understand all things avian, with particular focus on chicken immunology and the genetics of disease resistance. Pete's studies over more than two decades have led to a greater understanding of the avian immune system and how it differs from mammals, of host-pathogen interactions and of genes involved in disease resistance pathways in birds. His seminar was entitled 'Understanding host-pathogen interactions in the chicken: prospects for disease control in the post-genome age' and highlighted the major findings from his work but also that of other Roslin Institute scientists, particularly in genetics, genomics and transgenic technologies. He also took the opportunity to describe what The Roslin Institute is building with the National Avian Research Facility. It was a great honour to have one's work recognised by one's peers and to receive this award, particularly when I look back at the distinguished list of previous award winners. To be able to acknowledge the huge contribution of my excellent team of students and scientists, past and present, was very satisfying. I am fortunate to work in an area of science that is of both intellectual interest and practical relevance, with friends and colleagues who both support and challenge me daily, and at an Institute that is the best place in the world to deliver that science. And remember, chickens are the future! Pete Kaiser
