{{short description|Swedish immunologist}} {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2025}} {{Infobox academic | name = Astrid Fagraeus | birth_date = 30 May 1913 | death_date = 24 February 1997 | discipline = Immunologist | notable_works = Antibody Production in relation to the Development of Plasma Cells | image = Astrid Fagraeus.jpeg }} '''Astrid Elsa Fagraeus-Wallbom''' (30 May 1913 – 24 February 1997)<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|last=AB|first=Eniac Data|title=Sök gravsatt på SvenskaGravar.se|url=https://www.svenskagravar.se/gravsatt/90470944|access-date=21 July 2020|website=svenskagravar.se|language=sv-SE}}</ref> was a Swedish immunologist.
== Education and career == Fagraeus was born in Stockholm, Sweden. She received a PhD in medicine in 1948 from the Karolinska Institute. In 1949, she was appointed associate professor of bacteriology at Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm. She became head of the virology department at the Swedish Bacteriological Laboratory in 1953. In 1961–1979 she served as the first professor of immunology in Sweden, at Karolinska Institutet.<ref name=":1">{{Cite journal|last1=Norberg|first1=Renée|last2=Biberfeld|first2=Gunnel|last3=Wigzell|first3=Hans|year=1998|title=Astrid Fagraeus, 1913–1997|journal=Scandinavian Journal of Immunology|language=en|volume=47|issue=1|pages=91|doi=10.1046/j.1365-3083.1998.00287.x|issn=1365-3083|doi-access=}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite web|last=Paediatrica|first=Rolf Zetterström Acta|date=10 March 2007|title=Kvinnliga pionjärer banade väg för dagens allt fler kvinnliga läkare|url=https://lakartidningen.se/aktuellt/kultur-2/2007/03/kvinnliga-pionjarer-banade-vag-for-dagens-allt-fler-kvinnliga-lakare/|access-date=21 July 2020|website=Läkartidningen|language=sv-SE}}</ref>
== Scientific work == Fagraeus' doctoral dissertation, ''Antibody Production in Relation to the Development of Plasma Cells'', attracted international attention and was considered a milestone in modern immunology. In this work, she was the first to show that plasma cells produce antibodies (IgG).<ref name=":2" /><ref>{{Cite web|last=Mitchell|first=Fernando|date=1 July 2020|title=History of Immunology – Immune Response|url=https://www.rrnursingschool.biz/immune-response/history-of-immunology.html|access-date=21 July 2020|website=RR School Of Nursing|language=en-us}}</ref> Until then, their function was unknown. During her career, she published around 80 scientific publications, and she was particularly focused on the development and maturation of T lymphocytes in the thymus. Among Fagraeus' later contributions was her role in the development of a Swedish polio vaccine, together with Professor Sven Gard.<ref name=":1" />
== Awards and honors == The work in her PhD dissertation led to the Swedish Medical Society's 'Jubilee Prize' in 1950. The American Association of Immunologists appointed Astrid Fagraeus an honorary member in 1973. A research building at Karolinska Institutet is named after Astrid Fagraeus.<ref name=":2" /><ref>{{Cite web|title=Astrid Fagræus laboratory (KM-F) {{!}} Karolinska Institutet|url=https://ki.se/en/km/astrid-fagraeus-laboratory-km-f|access-date=21 July 2020|website=ki.se|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|last=Silverstein, Arthur M.|title=A history of immunology|date=2009|publisher=Academic Press/Elsevier|isbn=978-0-08-091946-1|edition=2nd|location=Amsterdam|oclc=429896568}}</ref>
== Personal life == Fagraeus was the daughter of Consul General Isidor Fagraeus and Elsa Bäckström. She married in 1955 the director Sven Wallbom and had the children Kerstin (born 1955) and Ann (born 1956). She is buried at Norra cemetery in Solna.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" />
== References == {{reflist}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Fagraeus, Astrid}} Category:Swedish scientists Category:Swedish immunologists Category:Swedish women scientists Category:1913 births Category:1997 deaths Category:Scientists from Stockholm Category:Karolinska Institute alumni