Gerald Weissmann, MD

Gerald Weissman, MD

Dr. Weissmann is a Research Professor of Medicine in the Division of Rheumatology and Director of the Biotechnology Study Center at NYU School of Medicine. He was named Professor Emeritus in 2004.

After earning an A.B. at Columbia University and an M.D. at NYU School of Medicine, Dr. Weissmann completed his residency at Mt. Sinai Hospital and became Lewis Thomas' first Chief Resident at Bellevue Hospital. He pursued post-doctoral research in biochemistry at NYU under Severo Ochoa, and in cell biology at Cambridge University under Dame Honor Fell.

He is best known for presenting evidence that identifies rheumatoid arthritis as an immune complex disease involving antigens (IgG), antibodies (IgG/IgM), and complement. In studies of leukocyte activation, he has pioneered work on the role of salicylates and corticosteroids in cell signaling and adhesion. He is responsible for the co-discovery and naming of liposomes (1965), and the drugs Abelcet® and Myocet® were based on his liposomal work.

Dr. Weissmann has received the Lila Gruber Award for Cancer Research; a Guggenheim Fellowship; two residencies at the Rockefeller Foundation Study Center at Bellagio; the Allesandro Robecchi and Paul Klemperer Awards for inflammation research; and the Distinguished Investigator Award of the American College of Rheumatology. He is a Master and Past-President of the American College of Rheumatology; a Past-President of the Harvey Society; and a Fellow of both the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the New York Academy of Medicine.