Life
Abraham was born in Shirley, Southampton and attended King Edward VI School, Southampton 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 Fellow of Lincoln until his retirement in 1980.
Abraham was the recipient of many awards over his lifetime, including a CBE in 1973 and a knighthood in 1980. He was elected a Foreign Honorary Member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1983. He was elected to the fellowship of the Royal Society in 1958.
He died in May 1999, in Oxford, following a stroke. He was survived by his wife, Asbjörg.
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