Nelson Monteiro Vaz, Brazilian immunologist and science philosopher (Niterói, Rio de Janeiro State 28 September 1936 –

Regarded as a world pioneer in tolerance induction

Proposed the molecular structure of antigen-antibody complexes involved in mast cells degranulation (1970)

With B.B. Levine & H. Chang. The production of hapten-specific reaginic antibodies in the guinea pig. J. Immunol. 106:29-35, 1971

Advanced the study of oral tolerance for his original contributions to mucosae immunology (1970s)

Devised a method of inducing prolonged intense IgE responses in mice

With B. Levine. Effect of combinations of inbred strain, antigen and antigen dose on immune responsiveness and reagin production in the mouse. A potential mouse model for immunity aspects of human atopic allergy. Intern. Arch. Allergy Appl.Immunol. 39(2-3):156-71, 1970

Characterized the MHC-related autosomic dominant genes involved in recognition of immunogenicity

First to show the MHC involvement in the reactivity to heterologous proteins

With B.B. Levine. Immune responsiveness of mice to low doses of antigen. Relationship to histocompatibility (H-2) type. Science 168:852-6, 1970

With E.M. Vaz & B.B. Levine. Relationship H2 genotype and immune responsiveness to low doses of ovalbumin in the mouse. J. Immunol. 104:1572-8, 1970

With E.M. Vaz & B.B. Levine. Persistent formation of reagin in mine injected with low doses of ovalbumin. Immunol. 21:11-6, 1971 

Proposed the relationship between IgE synthesis and oligoclonal expansions of T cells (first in 1974; revised later)

Showed that the tolerance induced orally is a carrier-specific T-cell effect

With L.C. Maia, D. Hanson & J. Lynch. Inhibition of homocytotropic antibody responses in adult inbred mice by previous feeding of the specific feeding of the specific antigen. J. All. Clin. Immunol. 60(2):110-5, 1977

Studied the bystander suppression phenomenon (1981) 10 years before the term was coined

With L.C.S. Maia & D.G. Hanson. Cross-suppression of specific imune responses after oral tolerance. Mem. Inst. Oswaldo Cruz. 76:83-91, 1981

Obtained the first evidences which brain is influenced by allergic reactions and vice-versa (1990s)

With J.S. Menezes, M. Russo, A.M.C. Faria et al. showed that exposure to food proteins after weaning has a physiological role in the maturation of immune system both locally and systematically (2003)

With G.C. Ramos, C.M. Rodrigues, G.M. Azevedo et al. demonstrated that inhibitory effects of parenteral injection of tlerated antigens are much more general than suggested (2003)

With J.S. Menezes, M.C. Andrade, B. Senra et al. demonstrated the role of elemental diets in modulating immunological activities in mice (2006)

With H. Maturana & F. Varela reformulated the international scientific thinking in this field

With F. Varela. Self and non-sense: an organism-centered approach to immunology. Med. Hypoth. 4(3):231-67, 1978 

Enunciated a theory about diseases based on operating mode of own organism

Papers in top journals

With B.B. Levine. Immune responsiveness of mice to low doses of antigen. Relationship to histocompatibility (H-2) type. Science 168:852-6, 1970

With Z. Ovary, T.W. Vries, C. Szalay & C.A. Iritani. Independent segregation of the H-2 locus and the locus for responsiveness to histamine sensitizing fator. Proceed. Natl. Acad. Sciences USA 70:2500-4, 1973

Papers with more than 100 citations

With J. Mengel, F. Cardillo, L. Aroeira, O. Williams & M. Russo. Anti γδ T cell antibody blocks the induction and maintenance of oral tolerance to ovalbumin in mice. Immunol. Lett. 48(2): 97-102, 1995

With L.K. Richman, J. Chiller, W. Brown & D. Hanson. Enterically induced immunologic tolerance. I. Induction of suppressive T lymphocytes by intragastric administration of soluble problems. J. Immunol. 121(6):2429-34, 1978

With F. Varela. Self and non-sense: an organism-centered approach to immunology. Med. Hypoth. 4(3):231-67, 1978 

With L.C. Maia, D. Hanson & J. Lynch. Inhibition of homocytotropic antibody responses in adult inbred mice by previous feeding of the specific feeding of the specific antigen. J. All. Clin. Immunol. 60(2):110-5, 1977

With B. Levine. Effect of combinations of inbred strain, antigen and antigen dose on immune responsiveness ande reagin production in the mouse. A potential mouse model for immunity aspects of human atopic allergy. Intern. Arch. Allergy Appl.Immunol. 39(2-3):156-71, 1970

With I. Mota, W. Dias da Silva and O.G. Bier, published Imunologia Básica e Aplicada (Fundamentals of Immunology), translated into English and German (1973)

Patents

With A.M.C. de Faria & J.S. Menezes. Complemento dietético de aminoácidos, processo para tratamento e prevenção de doenças e processo de administração de um complemento dietético de aminoácidos PI0004436-9 A2 (2000)