Baruj Benacerraf

Baruj Benacerraf
Benacerraf in 1969
Born	(1920-10-29)October 29, 1920[5] Caracas, Venezuela [6]
Died	August 2, 2011(2011-08-02)(aged 90) Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts, U.S.
Citizenship	Venezuela/USA[7]
Alma mater	Columbia University Virginia Commonwealth University
Known for	Major histocompatibility complex
Spouse	Annette Dreyfus ( m.1943; died 2011)
Children	1 daughter
Awards	National Medal of Science 1980Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine[1][2][3]
Scientific career
Fields	Immunology, medicine
Institutions	Virginia Commonwealth University New York University Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons National Institutes of Health American Academy of Arts and Sciences Harvard Medical School Dana–Farber Cancer Institute[4]

Baruj Benacerraf(/bɪˈnæsərəf/; October 29, 1920 – August 2, 2011) was a Venezuelan-Americanimmunologist, who shared the 1980Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicinefor the "discovery of themajor histocompatibility complexgenes which encode cell surface protein molecules important for the immune system's distinction between self and non-self."^[8][9]His colleagues and shared recipients wereJean DaussetandGeorge Davis Snell.

Benacerraf was born inCaracas, Venezuela on October 29, 1920, to a Moroccan-VenezuelanSephardic Jewishfather, Abraham Benacerraf, and Algerian Jewish mother, Henrietta Lasry.^[6]His father was a textile merchant. His brother was philosopherPaul Benacerraf. He moved to Paris from Venezuela with his family in 1925. After going back to Venezuela, he emigrated to the U.S. in 1940. That same year, Benacerraf attendedLycée Français de New York, where he earned aBaccalauréat(an academic qualification French students achieve after high school and a diploma necessary to begin university studies).^[10]

In 1942, he earned his B.S. atColumbia University School of General Studies. He then went on to obtain hisDoctor of Medicine(M.D.) degree from theMedical College of Virginia, the only school to which he was accepted due to his Jewish background.^[11][12]Shortly after beginning medical school, Benacerraf became anaturalized U.S. citizen.^[13]

From his Nobel autobiography: "By that time, I had elected to study biology and medicine, instead of going into the family business, as my father would have wanted. I did not realize, however, that admission to Medical School was a formidable undertaking for someone with my ethnic and foreign background in the United States of 1942. In spite of an excellent academic record at Columbia, I was refused admission by the numerous medical schools I applied to and would have found it impossible to study medicine except for the kindness and support of George W. Bakeman, father of a close friend, who was then Assistant to the President of the Medical College of Virginia in Richmond. Learning of my difficulties, Mr. Bakeman arranged for me to be interviewed and considered for one of the two remaining places in the Freshman class."^[9]

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After his medical internship, US Army service (1945–48), and working at the military hospital ofNancy, France, he became a researcher atColumbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons(1948–50). He performed research in Paris (1950–56), relocated toNew York University(1956–68), moved to theNational Institutes of Health(1968–70), then joinedHarvard Universitymedical school in Boston (1970–91) where he became the Fabyan Professor of comparative Pathology, concurrently serving theDana–Farber Cancer Institute(1980). He began studying allergies in 1948, and discovered the Ir (immune response) genes that governtransplant rejectionin the 1960s. Including a variety of different editions, Benacerraf is an author of over 300 books and articles.^[14]

At Columbia, Benacerraf got his start in immunology withElvin A. Kabatin 1948. He spent two years in Kabat's laboratory working on experimental hypersensitivity mechanisms.^[11]He then moved to Paris because of family issues and accepted a position in Bernard Halpern's laboratory at theHôpital Broussais. Here he also formed a close relationship with Italian scientist Guido Biozzi. For six years he worked on the reticuloendothelial function in relation to immunity. The reticuloendothelial function is the white blood cells inside of a barrier tissue. While there they discovered techniques to study the clearance of particulate matter from the blood by the RES (reticuloendothelial system), and devised equations that govern this process in mammals. After six years, Baruj returned to the United States in 1956 because he could not establish his own independent laboratory in France. He was recruited to the faculty of New York University (NYU), established his own laboratory, and returned to his studies on hypersensitivity.^[11]

In New York, Baruj worked with several other immunologists on different fields of hypersensitivity. After working in his New York lab, Baruj turned his attention towards the training of new scientists, and made the decision to devote himself to his laboratory practices, instead of the family business. At this time Baruj also made the discovery that would go on to win him the Nobel Prize. He noticed that if antigens (something that causes a reaction with the immune system) were injected into animals with a similar heredity, two groups emerged: responders and non-responders. He then conducted further study and found that the dominant autosomal genes, termed the immune response genes, determined the 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 the last century. More than 30 genes have been discovered in a gene complex called the major histocompatibility complex. The histocompatibility complex is a complex part of DNA that controls the immune response. This research has also led to clarify autoimmune diseases such asmultiple sclerosisandrheumatoid arthritis.^[9]

He was elected a Fellow of theAmerican Academy of Arts and Sciencesin 1971.^[15]

Other notable awards include:

• Rous-Whipple Award of the American Association of Pathologists 1985
• National Medal of Science1990
• Gold-Headed Cane Award of the American Association for Investigative Pathology 1996
• Charles A. Dana Award for pioneering achievements in Health and Education 1996

• Honorary Degree of Doctor of Sciences,Virginia Commonwealth University1981
• Honorary Degree of Doctor of Sciences,New York University1981
• Honorary Degree of Doctor of Sciences,Yeshiva University1982
• Honorary Degree of Doctor of Sciences,Columbia University1985
• Honorary Degree of Doctor of Sciences,Adelphi University1988
• Honorary Degree of Doctor of Philosophy, Weizmann Institute of Sciences 1989
• Honorary Degree of Doctor of Sciences,Gustav Adolphus University1992
• Honorary Degree of Doctor of Sciences,Harvard University1992
• Honorary Degree of Doctor of Sciences,Université de Bordeaux1993
• Honorary Degree of Doctor of Medicine,University of Vienna1995

His autobiography was published in 1998.^[16]Benacerraf died on August 2, 2011, inJamaica Plain,Massachusettsof pneumonia.^[4]His wife, Annette, predeceased him by two months.^[17]Their daughter,Beryl, who died in late 2022,^[18][19]was aHarvard Medical Schoolgraduate who taught atHarvardand was a director at theBrigham and Women's Hospital, as well as theMassachusetts General Hospital.^[20][21][22]

• List of Jewish Nobel laureates
• List of Venezuelan Nobel laureates
• List of Venezuelans

• Baruj Benacerrafon Nobelprize.org