Albert Claude, a Belgian-American cytologist and medical doctor, made groundbreaking contributions to the field of cytology through his extensive research. His enduring interest in cancer research led him to develop revolutionary procedures for separating living cells and determining their components. Using advanced biochemical and biophysical techniques such as enzyme mapping, electron microscopy, and high-speed centrifugation, Claude pioneered the method of cell fractionation. His discoveries include identifying the agent of Rous sarcoma and uncovering the constituents of cell organelles such as the chloroplast, ribosome, endoplasmic reticulum, lysosome, and mitochondrion. His research established the intricate structural and functional properties of cells, and he was the first to publish detailed aspects of cell structure. In recognition of his achievements, Claude was awarded the Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine in 1974, which he shared with his student George Palade and Christian de Duve. Throughout his career, Claude held positions as a professor at Rockefeller University, Université catholique de Louvain, and Université Libre de Bruxelles. He also served as the director of the Laboratoire de Biologie Cellulaire et Cancérologie in Louvain-la-Neuve and the Jules Bordet Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment.
Quick Facts
- Died At Age: 83
- Died on: May 22, 1983
- Place of death: Brussels
- Education: University of Liège
- Awards: 1974 – Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, Louisa Gross Horwitz Prize
Childhood & Early Life
Albert Claude was born on either August 24, 1899 or 1898 in the small village of Longlier in Neufchâteau, Belgium. He was the youngest child in his family, with one sister and three brothers. His father owned a bakery-cum-general store. Albert’s mother suffered from breast cancer and passed away when he was seven years old. He attended Longlier Primary School and became a bell boy for the church.
Education and Early Career
Due to economic depression, Albert’s family moved to Athus in 1907. He joined a German school but had to drop out to take care of his disabled uncle. During World War I, he worked as an apprentice in steel mills. Inspired by Winston Churchill, he volunteered in the British Intelligence Service and served during the war. He faced confinement in concentration camps and received the Interallied Medal and veteran status.
Albert lacked formal secondary education but was admitted to the University of Liège in 1922 due to his war service. In 1928, he earned a degree in Medicine.
Research Career
Albert conducted his postdoctoral research in Berlin at the Institut für Krebsforschung and the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute for Biology. In 1929, he received a fellowship from the Belgian American Educational Foundation to conduct research in the United States. He joined the Rockefeller Institute in New York and studied the Rous sarcoma virus.
In 1938, Albert analyzed and purified the causal agent of carcinoma in the Rous sarcoma virus, naming it “ribose nucleoprotein” (later known as RNA). He also used electron microscopes for biological cell study and discovered the structure of mitochondria. He identified cytoplasmic granules full of RNA, which he named “microsomes” (later called “ribosomes”). He also discovered the endoplasmic reticulum.
Later Career and Legacy
After spending two decades at the Rockefeller Institute, Albert returned to Belgium in 1949 to become the Director of the Jules Bordet Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment. He also became a Professor at the University of Brussels. In 1972, he joined the Catholic University of Louvain as a Professor and Director of Laboratoire de Biologie Cellulaire et Cancérologie.
Albert received honorary doctorates from several universities, including the Rockefeller University. His cell fractionation process revolutionized cytology and earned him the Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine in 1974, which he shared with his student George Palade and Christian de Duve.
Albert Claude married Julia Gilder in 1935 and had a daughter named Philippa. He passed away in May 22, 1983, in Brussels.