Grabar, Pierre

Pierre Grabar (September 10, 1898 – January 26, 1986) was a Russian-born French biochemist and immunologist. He was the founding president of the Société Française d'Immunologie. He studied antigen-antibody reactions and developed a "carrier" theory of antibody function. His award-winning development of Immunoelectrophoresis made it possible to identify specific bodily proteins, opening new avenues in medical research. Grabar helped to rebuild the field of French and European immunology after World War II though his teaching and research. He welcomed many international students to his laboratory, which has been described as "extraordinarily vibrant and active" and "one of the best in the world". In 1963 Grabar received a Canada Gairdner International Award and in 1968 the Prix Jaffé. In 1958, he received the Emil von Behring Prize and in 1977 the Robert Koch Medal. Grabar became a member of the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina in 1962. He was an officer in the French Legion of Honor.