Born in Southampton in June 1913, He died on May 8, 1999, aged 85.Sir Edward Abraham attended the King Edward VI School before achieving a First in Chemistry at The Queen’s College, Oxford .
After completing his doctorate in Oxford, Abraham took up a position at the Sir William Dunn School of Pathology .
He became part of a research team led by Professor Howard Florey responsible for the development of penicillin and its medical applications. Sir Edward was specifically involved in the purification process and determination of its chemical structure. Florey formally recognised Abraham’s work in 1948 by nominating him to be one of the first three “penicillin” research fellows at Lincoln College, Oxford.
He was a noted biochemist, his work on antibiotics producing great clinical advances. His principal work was concerned with the development of penicillin, and also later cephalosporin, an antibiotic capable of destroying penicillin-resistant bacteria. These vital drugs are now used extensively in the treatment of various infections, including pneumonia, bronchitis, septicaemia and infected surgical wounds. Through the registration of patent on cephalosporin, he was able to generate a regular income, which he has devoted almost entirely to the establishment of a charitable trust for the support of biomedical research.
