Michael Heidelberger; Discovered That Antibodies Are Proteins

Michael Heidelberger, 103, a biochemist who was credited with discovering that antibodies are proteins. Heidelberger, who lived in Manhattan, joined the faculty of the Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons in 1928 and became an adjunct professor of pathology at New York University in 1964. His research in the chemistry of immune systems brought him numerous honors, including two Lasker Clinical Medical Research awards, a national Medal of Science and 15 honorary degrees. Heidelberger earned a Ph.D. at Columbia University and began his research career in 1912 at the Rockefeller Institute. Heidelberger’s research in the 1920s and ‘30s led him to discover that antibodies are proteins. “It was the first step to unraveling the chemistry of immunology,” said NYU Medical Center spokesman David Sachs. “Until you know what the antibody is, you can’t know how it works and how the human body protects itself from germs.” On Tuesday in New York City.