George Klein (biologist)

For other people named George Klein, see George Klein (disambiguation).
George Klein
Photographed in 2012
Born(1925-07-28)28 July 1925
Budapest
Died10 December 2016(2016-12-10) (aged 91)
Stockholm
Other namesKlein György
Education
Occupation(s)Microbiologist, writer
Employer(s)Karolinska Institute, Stockholm
Known forCancer research
SpouseEva Klein
ChildrenThree
Awards

George Klein (Georg Klein; born Klein György, 28 July 1925 – 10 December 2016) was a Hungarian–Swedish microbiologist and public intellectual.[1] Specializing in cancer research, he was professor of tumour biology at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm from 1957 to 1992, a chair created for him,[1] and as professor emeritus continued to work as research group leader in the microbiology and tumor biology center.[2][3] According to Nature, the department Klein founded was "international and influential".[1] In the 1960s he and his wife, Eva Klein, "laid the foundation for modern tumour immunology".[4]

In addition to having over 1,385 papers published on cancer and experimental cell research, Klein authored over 13 books in Swedish on a wide range of topics, including essays on the Holocaust in Hungary.[2] In 1944 he escaped from being loaded onto a train in Budapest during the deportation of Jews to the Auschwitz concentration camp.[5]

Three of Klein's books have been translated into English: The Atheist and the Holy City (1990); Pietà (1992), a collection of essays on whether life is worth living; and Live Now (1997). He received numerous awards for his scientific work, including the Leopold Griffuel Prize in 1974, the Harvey Prize in 1975, and the Alfred P. Sloan Jr. Prize in 1979. In 1990 the Swedish Academy awarded him the Dobloug Prize for his contribution to literature.[2]

  1. ^ a b c Ernberg, Ingemar; Kärre, Klas; Wigzell, Hans (16 February 2017). "George Klein (1925–2016)". Nature, 524, p. 296.
  2. ^ a b c "Curriculum Vitae: Georg Klein" (PDF). Academia Europaea. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2 August 2018.
  3. ^ "George Klein". Karolinska Institute. Archived from the original on 5 March 2012.
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference KIobit was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Ekselius, Eva (2008). "Bonds with a Vanished Past: Contemporary Jewish Writing in Scandinavia", in Liska, Vivian and Nolden, Thomas (eds.). Contemporary Jewish Writing in Europe: A Guide. Indiana University Press, p. 67.