Edward Abraham
| Sir Edward Abraham | |
|---|---|
| Born | Edward Penley Abraham 10 June 1913 Shirley, Southampton |
| Died | 8 May 1999 (aged 85) |
| Institutions | University of Oxford |
| Alma mater | The Queen's College, Oxford |
| Doctoral students | Chi-Pui Pang |
| Notable awards | Royal Medal (1973) |
Sir Edward Penley Abraham, CBE, FRS (10 June 1913 – 8 May 1999) was an English biochemist instrumental in the development of penicillin.
Abraham was born in Shirley, Southampton, and attended King Edward VI School, Southampton, before achieving a First in Chemistry at The Queen's College, Oxford.
After completing his DPhil at the University of Oxford, Abraham took up a position at the Sir William Dunn School of Pathology.
He became part of a research team led by Professor Howard Florey responsible for the development of penicillin and its medical applications. Sir Edward was specifically involved in the purification process and determination of its chemical structure. Florey formally recognised Abraham’s work in 1948 by nominating him to be one of the first three “penicillin” research Fellows at Lincoln College, Oxford. He was a Fellow of Lincoln until his retirement in 1980.
He died in May 1999, in Oxford, following a stroke. He was survived by his wife, Asbjörg.
Sir Edward and Lady Abraham lived at Badgers Wood, Bedwells Heath, Boars Hill, where part of the land, Abraham Wood is now managed by the Oxford Preservation Trust.
He was a noted biochemist, his work on antibiotics producing great clinical advances. His principal work was concerned with the development of penicillin, and also later cephalosporin, an antibiotic capable of destroying penicillin-resistant bacteria. These vital drugs are now used extensively in the treatment of various infections, including pneumonia, bronchitis, septicaemia and infected surgical wounds.
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