Remembering Michael S Neuberger (1953-2013)

Abstract

Michael Neuberger died in Cambridge on 26 October 2013, surrounded by his loving wife Gill and children, Saskia, Lydia, Thomas and Benjamin. He now rests in peace next to their house in Suffolk. A particularly aggressive myeloma ended most prematurely a life full of science, human relationships, fatherhood, joie de vivre , understatement and humour. ‘ Shut up, you fat face ’ Michael said once as he picked up the phone, thinking it was Franco Calabi playing yet another game. We realized it was not Franco when Michael turned purple and said ‘ Oh, good afternoon Sir ’ (it turned out he was talking to the Director General of the MRC). After a few minutes of total embarrassment, we started laughing, only to resume our discussion about antibodies. Michael was a gentle and generous person, an outstanding scientist and mentor. After his PhD in Biochemistry with Brian Hartley in London, Michael went to work with Klaus Rajewski in Koln, on Cesar Milstein's recommendation that he should learn some immunology before joining the LMB in Cambridge. Here, Michael spent his brilliant career, soon becoming one of its pillars, as Joint Head of the PNAC Division and Deputy Director. His contribution to immunology and biotechnology research is legendary, his work always rooted in …