Dr. Anthony Epstein, pathologist who discovered the Epstein-Barr virus, dies at 102
His groundbreaking research, which he carried out with Yvonne Barr, his doctoral student, discovered the first virus capable of causing cancer in humans. /p>
In March 1961, Dr Anthony Epstein, a pathologist at Middlesex Hospital in London, nearly skipped a visiting doctor's afternoon lecture on children suffering from exceptionally large facial tumors in Uganda.
The doctor, Dr Denis Burkitt, originally from Ireland and who claimed to be a bush surgeon, showed slides of tumors bulbous appearing along the jaw and appearing in tropical regions of Africa where rainfall was high. During his lecture, Dr. Burkitt mapped a veritable belt of pediatric cancer that stretched across equatorial Africa.
Despite Dr. Epstein's initial reluctance to attend the conference, he sat in the back. to quickly escape - his excitement grew as Dr. Burkitt spoke. By the end of the conference, he knew he would abandon all his current plans to find the cause of this unusual malignancy. His doctoral student, Yvonne Barr, soon joined him, and in 1964 their groundbreaking research revealed the first virus capable of causing cancer in humans.
It shook the scientific world with the announcement. Some doctors and scientists applauded this discovery; others refused to accept it.
Dr. Epstein died on February 6 at his home in London. He was 102 years old. His death was confirmed by the University of Bristol, where Dr Epstein was professor of pathology from 1968 to 1985 and also chaired the department for 15 years.
The pathogen that now bears his and Dr. Barr's name - the Epstein-Barr virus - belongs to the herpes family and is one of the most ubiquitous on the planet. An estimated 90% of the world's adult population carries the virus, also known as E.B.V.
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His groundbreaking research, which he carried out with Yvonne Barr, his doctoral student, discovered the first virus capable of causing cancer in humans. /p>
In March 1961, Dr Anthony Epstein, a pathologist at Middlesex Hospital in London, nearly skipped a visiting doctor's afternoon lecture on children suffering from exceptionally large facial tumors in Uganda.
The doctor, Dr Denis Burkitt, originally from Ireland and who claimed to be a bush surgeon, showed slides of tumors bulbous appearing along the jaw and appearing in tropical regions of Africa where rainfall was high. During his lecture, Dr. Burkitt mapped a veritable belt of pediatric cancer that stretched across equatorial Africa.
Despite Dr. Epstein's initial reluctance to attend the conference, he sat in the back. to quickly escape - his excitement grew as Dr. Burkitt spoke. By the end of the conference, he knew he would abandon all his current plans to find the cause of this unusual malignancy. His doctoral student, Yvonne Barr, soon joined him, and in 1964 their groundbreaking research revealed the first virus capable of causing cancer in humans.
It shook the scientific world with the announcement. Some doctors and scientists applauded this discovery; others refused to accept it.
Dr. Epstein died on February 6 at his home in London. He was 102 years old. His death was confirmed by the University of Bristol, where Dr Epstein was professor of pathology from 1968 to 1985 and also chaired the department for 15 years.
The pathogen that now bears his and Dr. Barr's name - the Epstein-Barr virus - belongs to the herpes family and is one of the most ubiquitous on the planet. An estimated 90% of the world's adult population carries the virus, also known as E.B.V.
We are having difficulty retrieving article content.
Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.
Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode, please exit and log in to your Times account, or subscribe to the entire Times.
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