Morre Ralph Steinman

Em meio à comemoração do Nobel, recebemos a triste notícia aqui na Rockefeller de que Ralph Steinman havia falecido no dia 30. Segue abaixo a carta do presidente da instituição:

Early this morning the Nobel committee announced that Ralph Steinman was named a recipient of this year’s prize in physiology or medicine, honoring his discovery of dendritic cells and his subsequent work in elucidating their function. It is with great sadness, however, that I tell you that Ralph passed away a few days ago.

Ralph’s research, conducted over four decades, has laid the foundation for numerous discoveries in the critically important field of immunology, and it has led to innovative new approaches in how we treat cancer, infectious diseases and disorders of the immune system.

Ralph, who was 68, was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer four years ago, and his life was extended using a dendritic-cell based immunotherapy of his own design.

In the next few minutes we will be announcing the news of Ralph’s death publically. A press conference has been scheduled for 10 a.m. in Caspary Auditorium; we expect many journalists to attend and it is also open to the Rockefeller community. If you cannot find a seat there, it may also be viewed via Web cast – please find the link on the university’s home page.

Ralph’s family has indicated that any donations to be made in his honor go to the Christopher H. Browne Center for Immunology and Immune Disease. It goes without saying that our thoughts are with Ralph’s family and his colleagues both as we mourn Ralph’s death and celebrate his life’s work.

Marc Tessier-Lavigne
President, The Rockefeller University