Elvin A. Kabat
Encyclopedia
Elvin Abraham Kabat was an American
biomedical scientist who is considered one of the founding fathers of modern quantitative
immunochemistry
together with his mentor Michael Heidelberger
. In 1977, Kabat and Heidelberger were awarded the Louisa Gross Horwitz Prize
from Columbia University
.
s. He characterized the size and stunning heterogeneity of antibody-combining sites. Kabat
and his coworkers determined the structures of the major blood group antigen
s, the embryonic-stage-specific carbohydrate
antigens and the carbohydrate markers of leukocyte (white blood cell).
Kabat's work was basic research with many applications to clinical medicine. It greatly advanced our knowledge of inflammation
, autoimmunity
, and blood transfusion
medicine.
at the age of 12 and completed it in three years. He started at City College of New York
at the age of 15 and graduated in 1932 with a major in chemistry
at age 18. In January 1933, Kabat was already working in Michael Heidelberger
’s laboratory doing routine lab chores at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons
. Kabat started work on his Ph.D. in the Department of Biochemistry, taking most courses at night, and completed his Ph.D.
under Heidelberger in only four years.
Kabat did postdoctoral work with Arne Tiselius
and Kai Pederson in Uppsala, Sweden, to learn the new methods of ultracentrifugation and electrophoresis
. He returned to New York City to take up a position at Cornell University
Medical College. He moved uptown and spent the main part of his career at Columbia University
.
In 1942 Kabat married Sally Lennick, a young Canadian art student. They had three sons: Jonathan
, Geoffrey, and David.
biomedical scientist who is considered one of the founding fathers of modern quantitative
Quantitative property
A quantitative property is one that exists in a range of magnitudes, and can therefore be measured with a number. Measurements of any particular quantitative property are expressed as a specific quantity, referred to as a unit, multiplied by a number. Examples of physical quantities are distance,...
immunochemistry
Immunochemistry
Immunochemistry is a branch of chemistry that involves the study of the reactions and components on the immune system.Various methods in immunochemistry have been developed and refined, and been used in scientific study, from virology to molecular evolution....
together with his mentor Michael Heidelberger
Michael Heidelberger
Michael Heidelberger was an American immunologist who is regarded as the father of modern immunology. He and Oswald Avery showed that the polysaccharides of pneumococcus are antigens, enabling him to show that antibodies are proteins...
. In 1977, Kabat and Heidelberger were awarded the Louisa Gross Horwitz Prize
Louisa Gross Horwitz Prize
Louisa Gross Horwitz Prize for Biology or Biochemistry is an annual prize awarded by Columbia University to a researcher or group of researchers that have made an outstanding contribution in basic research in the fields of biology or biochemistry....
from Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
.
Work
Elvin Kabat was engaged in the discovery of the structural and genetic basis for the remarkable specificity of antibodies. Kabat first demonstrated that antibodies are gamma globulinGamma globulin
Gamma globulins are a class of globulins, identified by their position after serum protein electrophoresis. The most significant gamma globulins are immunoglobulins , more commonly known as antibodies, although some Igs are not gamma globulins, and some gamma globulins are not Igs.-Use as medical...
s. He characterized the size and stunning heterogeneity of antibody-combining sites. Kabat
and his coworkers determined the structures of the major blood group antigen
Antigen
An antigen is a foreign molecule that, when introduced into the body, triggers the production of an antibody by the immune system. The immune system will then kill or neutralize the antigen that is recognized as a foreign and potentially harmful invader. These invaders can be molecules such as...
s, the embryonic-stage-specific carbohydrate
Carbohydrate
A carbohydrate is an organic compound with the empirical formula ; that is, consists only of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, with a hydrogen:oxygen atom ratio of 2:1 . However, there are exceptions to this. One common example would be deoxyribose, a component of DNA, which has the empirical...
antigens and the carbohydrate markers of leukocyte (white blood cell).
Kabat's work was basic research with many applications to clinical medicine. It greatly advanced our knowledge of inflammation
Inflammation
Inflammation is part of the complex biological response of vascular tissues to harmful stimuli, such as pathogens, damaged cells, or irritants. Inflammation is a protective attempt by the organism to remove the injurious stimuli and to initiate the healing process...
, autoimmunity
Autoimmunity
Autoimmunity is the failure of an organism to recognize its own constituent parts as self, which allows an immune response against its own cells and tissues. Any disease that results from such an aberrant immune response is termed an autoimmune disease...
, and blood transfusion
Blood transfusion
Blood transfusion is the process of receiving blood products into one's circulation intravenously. Transfusions are used in a variety of medical conditions to replace lost components of the blood...
medicine.
Life
Kabat’s parents arrived in the United States from Eastern Europe toward the end of the 19th century. (The family changed their last name from Kabatchnick to Kabat.) Elvin began high school in New YorkNew York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
at the age of 12 and completed it in three years. He started at City College of New York
City College of New York
The City College of the City University of New York is a senior college of the City University of New York , in New York City. It is also the oldest of the City University's twenty-three institutions of higher learning...
at the age of 15 and graduated in 1932 with a major in chemistry
Chemistry
Chemistry is the science of matter, especially its chemical reactions, but also its composition, structure and properties. Chemistry is concerned with atoms and their interactions with other atoms, and particularly with the properties of chemical bonds....
at age 18. In January 1933, Kabat was already working in Michael Heidelberger
Michael Heidelberger
Michael Heidelberger was an American immunologist who is regarded as the father of modern immunology. He and Oswald Avery showed that the polysaccharides of pneumococcus are antigens, enabling him to show that antibodies are proteins...
’s laboratory doing routine lab chores at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons
Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons
Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, often known as P&S, is a graduate school of Columbia University that is located on the health sciences campus in the Washington Heights neighborhood of Manhattan...
. Kabat started work on his Ph.D. in the Department of Biochemistry, taking most courses at night, and completed his Ph.D.
Ph.D.
A Ph.D. is a Doctor of Philosophy, an academic degree.Ph.D. may also refer to:* Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*Piled Higher and Deeper, a web comic strip*PhD: Phantasy Degree, a Korean comic series* PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
under Heidelberger in only four years.
Kabat did postdoctoral work with Arne Tiselius
Arne Tiselius
Arne Wilhelm Kaurin Tiselius was a Swedish biochemist who won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1948.- Biography:Tiselius was born in Stockholm...
and Kai Pederson in Uppsala, Sweden, to learn the new methods of ultracentrifugation and electrophoresis
Electrophoresis
Electrophoresis, also called cataphoresis, is the motion of dispersed particles relative to a fluid under the influence of a spatially uniform electric field. This electrokinetic phenomenon was observed for the first time in 1807 by Reuss , who noticed that the application of a constant electric...
. He returned to New York City to take up a position at Cornell University
Cornell University
Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
Medical College. He moved uptown and spent the main part of his career at Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
.
In 1942 Kabat married Sally Lennick, a young Canadian art student. They had three sons: Jonathan
Jon Kabat-Zinn
Jon Kabat-Zinn is Professor of Medicine Emeritus and founding director of the Stress Reduction Clinic and the Center for Mindfulness in Medicine, Health Care, and Society at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. Kabat-Zinn was a student of Zen Master Seung Sahn and a founding member of...
, Geoffrey, and David.
Sources
- Elvin A. Kabat: September 1, 1914–June 16, 2000, an excellent Biographical Memoir, written by Rose G. Mage and Ten Feizi, published by the U.S. National Academy of SciencesUnited States National Academy of SciencesThe National Academy of Sciences is a corporation in the United States whose members serve pro bono as "advisers to the nation on science, engineering, and medicine." As a national academy, new members of the organization are elected annually by current members, based on their distinguished and...
- Elvin A. Kabat Memorial Symposium with
- Obituary: Elvin A. Kabat, reprinted from the journal NatureNatureNature, in the broadest sense, is equivalent to the natural world, physical world, or material world. "Nature" refers to the phenomena of the physical world, and also to life in general...
- In Memoriam Elvin Abraham Kabat, reprinted from the Journal of Immunology
- Elvin A. Kabat at 85, obituary in the Boston Globe (he summered at Woods Hole for about 50 years)
- An Appreciation of Elvin A. Kabat, reprinted from Glycoconjugate Journal
- Elvin Kabat's Curriculum Vitae
- Photos of Elvin Kabat
- Obituary: Elvin A. Kabat, reprinted from the journal Nature