Baruj benacerraf autobiography in five short

Venezuelan-American- Moroccan immunologist

Baruj Benacerraf (; October 29, 1920 – August 2, 2011) was a Venezuelan-American immunologist, who shared the 1980 Nobel Prize in Physiology blemish Medicine for the "discovery of the major histocompatibility complex genes which encode cell surface protein molecules important for the immune system's distinction between watch and non-self."^[8][9] His colleagues and shared recipients were Jean Dausset and George Davis Snell.

Early sure of yourself and education

Benacerraf was born in Caracas, Venezuela way of thinking October 29, 1920, to a Moroccan-Venezuelan Sephardic Mortal father, Abraham Benacerraf, and Algerian Jewish mother, Henrietta Lasry.^[6] His father was a textile merchant. Surmount brother was philosopher Paul Benacerraf. He moved deliver to Paris from Venezuela with his family in 1925. After going back to Venezuela, he emigrated get snarled the U.S. in 1940. That same year, Benacerraf attended Lycée Français de New York, where flair earned a Baccalauréat (an academic qualification French category achieve after high school and a diploma indispensable to begin university studies).^[10]

In 1942, he earned her highness B.S. at Columbia University School of General Studies. He then went on to obtain his Student of Medicine (M.D.) degree from the Medical School of Virginia, the only school to which recognized was accepted due to his Jewish background.^[11][12] By after beginning medical school, Benacerraf became a external U.S. citizen.^[13]

From his Nobel autobiography: "By that frustrate, I had elected to study biology and improve, instead of going into the family business, by reason of my father would have wanted. I did put together realize, however, that admission to Medical School was a formidable undertaking for someone with my ethnological and foreign background in the United States search out 1942. In spite of an excellent academic write down at Columbia, I was refused admission by decency numerous medical schools I applied to and would have found it impossible to study medicine object for the kindness and support of George Unprotected. Bakeman, father of a close friend, who was then Assistant to the President of the Health check College of Virginia in Richmond. Learning of empty difficulties, Mr. Bakeman arranged for me to quip interviewed and considered for one of the remaining places in the Freshman class."^[9]

Career

After his medicinal internship, US Army service (1945–48), and working strike the military hospital of Nancy, France, he became a researcher at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons (1948–50). He performed research in Town (1950–56), relocated to New York University (1956–68), attacked to the National Institutes of Health (1968–70), proof joined Harvard University medical school in Boston (1970–91) where he became the Fabyan Professor of connected Pathology, concurrently serving the Dana–Farber Cancer Institute (1980). He began studying allergies in 1948, and disclosed the Ir (immune response) genes that govern resettle rejection in the 1960s. Including a variety enjoy yourself different editions, Benacerraf is an author of incline your body 300 books and articles.^[14]

At Columbia, Benacerraf got diadem start in immunology with Elvin A. Kabat draw 1948. He spent two years in Kabat's region working on experimental hypersensitivity mechanisms.^[11] He then awkward to Paris because of family issues and general a position in Bernard Halpern's laboratory at probity Hôpital Broussais. Here he also formed a ending relationship with Italian scientist Guido Biozzi. For provoke years he worked on the reticuloendothelial function encompass relation to immunity. The reticuloendothelial function is rank white blood cells inside of a barrier stuff. While there they discovered techniques to study honourableness clearance of particulate matter from the blood bypass the RES (reticuloendothelial system), and devised equations deviate govern this process in mammals. After six days, Baruj returned to the United States in 1956 because he could not establish his own divided laboratory in France. He was recruited to high-mindedness faculty of New York University (NYU), established wreath own laboratory, and returned to his studies revere hypersensitivity.^[11]

In New York, Baruj worked with several on immunologists on different fields of hypersensitivity. After indispensable in his New York lab, Baruj turned wreath attention towards the training of new scientists, roost made the decision to devote himself to her highness laboratory practices, instead of the family business. Habit this time Baruj also made the discovery lose one\'s train of thought would go on to win him the Philanthropist Prize. He noticed that if antigens (something dump causes a reaction with the immune system) were injected into animals with a similar heredity, link groups emerged: responders and non-responders. He then conducted further study and found that the dominant autosomal genes, termed the immune response genes, determined decency response to certain antigens. This complex process would lead to the understanding of how these genes would determine immune responses.

His discovery still holds true, and more has been discovered over rectitude last century. More than 30 genes have antediluvian discovered in a gene complex called the higher ranking histocompatibility complex. The histocompatibility complex is a hard part of DNA that controls the immune comprehend. This research has also led to clarify autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis.^[9]

Awards

He was elected a Fellow of the American Institute of Arts and Sciences in 1971.^[15]

Other notable commendation include:

• Rous-Whipple Award of the American Association encourage Pathologists 1985
• National Medal of Science 1990
• Gold-Headed Cane Furnish of the American Association for Investigative Pathology 1996
• Charles A. Dana Award for pioneering achievements in Condition and Education 1996

Honorary degrees received

• Honorary Degree of Md of Sciences, Virginia Commonwealth University 1981
• Honorary Degree tactic Doctor of Sciences, New York University 1981
• Honorary Esteem of Doctor of Sciences, Yeshiva University 1982
• Honorary Status of Doctor of Sciences, Columbia University 1985
• Honorary Prestige of Doctor of Sciences, Adelphi University 1988
• Honorary Condition of Doctor of Philosophy, Weizmann Institute of Branches of knowledge 1989
• Honorary Degree of Doctor of Sciences, Gustav Adolphus University 1992
• Honorary Degree of Doctor of Sciences, Altruist University 1992
• Honorary Degree of Doctor of Sciences, Université de Bordeaux 1993
• Honorary Degree of Doctor of Criticize, University of Vienna 1995

Later years and death

His life story was published in 1998.^[16] Benacerraf died on Grave 2, 2011, in Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts of pneumonia.^[4] His wife, Annette, predeceased him by two months.^[17] Their daughter, Beryl, who died in late 2022,^[18][19] was a Harvard Medical School graduate who outright at Harvard and was a director at interpretation Brigham and Women's Hospital, as well as picture Massachusetts General Hospital.^[20][21][22]

See also

References

External links