George K. Hirst
March 2, 1909 - January 22, 1994
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Scientific Discipline: Microbial Biology Membership Type:
Emeritus
(elected 1966)
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In 1941, George K. Hirst, made the groundbreaking discovery of the hemagglunation process caused by the influenza virus. He observed that when they were exposed to the virus, red blood cells would clump and form clusters. Hirst established the hemagglutination assay, which made it possible to determine the amount of virus in a sample and the amount of antibodies in an individual’s serum. The serum was then mixed with the virus so the antibodies would bind with the influenza cells to prevent the hemagglutination reaction, or the clumping of red blood cells. The discovery of the influenza virus’ enzyme-like behavior was one of the most important findings in all of virology. Hirst also found that the influenza virus possessed phenotypic mixing properties, which opened up research into viral genetic recombination.
Hirst attended the Yale University School of Medicine and received his B.S. degree in premedical sciences in 1930 and his M.D. degree in 1933. He started his residency at the Rockefeller Institute Hospital in 1936, and he became a staff member of the International Health Division at the Rockefeller Foundation in 1940. In 1946, he was appointed the chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases at the Public Health Research Institute of the City of New York, and from 1956 to 1980, he served as its director. During this time, Hirst taught microbiology at the New York University College of Medicine and was the editor-in-chief of Virology. He was also a member of the American Association of Immunologists, the American Society of Microbiologists, and the New York State Society for Medical Research.
