Cesar Milstein, one of the key figures in the development of monoclonal antibodies, died on 24 March 2002 at the age of 74.

Together with Georges Köhler, Milstein reported a hybridoma technique for the production of monoclonal antibodies in Nature in 1975. This discovery led to an enormous expansion in the use of antibodies in science and medicine, and they were awarded the Nobel prize for Physiology or Medicine in 1984 (with Niels Jerne) for their pioneering work in this area.

Milstein was a key figure at the prestigious Laboratory of Molecular Biology in Cambridge. He joined the Division of Protein Chemistry in 1963 and, following the advice of Fred Sanger, Milstein changed his field of study from enzymes to antibodies.

Although monoclonal antibodies have not fully lived up to the initial 'magic bullet' expectations, Milstein lived to see the fruits of his studies develop into a new generation of treatments that specifically target cells of interest, such as the breast cancer treatment Herceptin and the rheumatoid arthritis treatment Remicade.

'The chief executive of the Medical Research Council, Professor Sir George Radda, led the tributes to Dr Milstein. He said: “No other MRC scientist has made such an outstanding contribution to Britain's science, health and wealth creation. The discovery of monoclonal antibodies revolutionized biomedical research and sparked an international billion-pound biotechnology industry. He was an inspiration to many young scientists and will be sorely missed by friends and colleagues at the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology and throughout the scientific world”.' (BBC News Online, 26 March 2002).