ScienceMakers Toolkit Manual - The History Makers

Cooper’s research on invertebrate immune systems and the evolution of neuroimmune systems was published
in several journals, including the Journal of Biological Chemistry and the Journal of Comparative Pathology.
Cooper received fi ve honorary degrees internationally, including one from his alma mater, Brown University, in
1992. Cooper was also awarded several international prizes in the sciences, such as the Alexander von Humboldt
Prize in Germany, and the S.M. Nabrit Achievement Award in Science from Atlanta University.
Discussion Questions
Personal:
1. What did you like best about reading about Dr. Cooper?
2. Where was Dr. Cooper born? Locate it on a map. How far away is this from where you live? What are
the names of his parents? Where did Dr. Cooper attend high school? What do you suppose high school
was like for him?
3. How old are you? In what year was Dr. Cooper your age? What was happening in the country that year?
What was happening in the world that year? What do you suppose his life was like when he was your
age?
4. Dr. Cooper’s work has taken him all over the world. Where are some of the places he has worked? Find
these on a map. Have you ever wanted to travel all over the world? If so, how could you make that
happen? What kinds of careers would allow you to travel? What are some important skills that would
allow you to travel extensively? (See Biography)
Science:
5. What do you think an immunobiologist does? Would you like to be a immunobiologist? Why?
6. If you were a immunobiologist, what kinds of questions would you study?
7. Dr. Cooper’s research focuses on immunobiology and comparative immunology. What do you think
these terms mean? Research them and present a basic defi nition of each to the class.
(See UCLA Faculty Page)
8. Dr. Cooper studied briefl y at the Marine Biology Laboratory in Woods Hole, Massachusetts. How did
Dr. Cooper’s later research into prehistoric invertebrates factor into marine biology? Are there
“prehistoric invertebrates” still living today? What are some examples? Why does Dr. Cooper study
prehistoric invertebrates? How does it relate to the human immune system? (See Biography)
9. Dr. Cooper explains his research in this way: “The human immune system still depends on its own
‘prehistoric’ system, but has evolved those characteristics that appeared later in fi shes, amphibians,
reptiles, birds and mammals. This type of immune system is adaptive, induced, specifi c and clonal.”
What does this mean? How does the evolutionary process relate the human immune system to
prehistoric invertebrates. Defi ne the terms adaptive, induced, specifi c and clonal as they relate to an
immune system. What does Dr. Cooper hope to achieve using this premise? (See UCLA Faculty Page)
10. Explain briefl y how the human immune system works. How is the human immune system different from
the immune systems of other mammals, birds, amphibians, and reptiles. How is it different from those of
plants?
Additional Resources
UCLA Faculty Page - http://www.cousinspni.org/cooper.htm
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Life Science