Fred Rosen (physician)

Fred Rosen (born April 13, 1930, died June 24, 2005) was an American physician and immunologist renowned for his pioneering work in the field of primary immunodeficiency diseases. He is considered one of the founders of modern clinical immunology.

Rosen received his M.D. from Harvard Medical School in 1955. He subsequently dedicated his career to understanding and treating genetic defects affecting the human immune system.

His research was instrumental in identifying and characterizing several primary immunodeficiencies, including X-linked agammaglobulinemia (also known as Bruton's agammaglobulinemia), severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID), and Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome. He meticulously documented the clinical manifestations, genetic basis, and treatment strategies for these rare disorders.

Rosen played a key role in establishing the first bone marrow transplantation program for children with SCID in the 1960s, offering a potentially curative treatment for this devastating condition. He also developed the use of intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) therapy for patients with antibody deficiencies, significantly improving their quality of life and reducing the risk of infections.

He was a professor of pediatrics at Harvard Medical School and served as the Chief of Immunology at Boston Children's Hospital for many years. Rosen authored and co-authored numerous scientific publications, lectured extensively worldwide, and mentored generations of immunologists.

His contributions to the field were recognized with numerous awards and honors, including the E. Mead Johnson Award for Research in Pediatrics and the King Faisal International Prize for Medicine. Fred Rosen's legacy lies in his profound impact on the understanding and treatment of primary immunodeficiency diseases, transforming the lives of countless patients and their families.