Pioneer and donor Endre A. Balazs has passed away

Professor Endre Alexander Balazs, physician, scientist, innovator and entrepreneur, died August 29 in France, aged 95. Earlier this year, professor Balazs and his wife, Dr Janet L. Denlinger, donated 4 million dollars for the establishment of a Professorship in Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Karolinska Institutet. The couple visited Karolinska Institutet in April to attend the ceremony at which the deed of gift was signed.

Professor Balazs, called “Bandi”, dedicated his life to research on the structure and biological activity of the polysaccharide hyaluronan. In the 1940s, he successfully extracted the substance in large volumes from cockscombs. He was the founder of companies that contributed to the development of the therapeutic application of hyaluronan in cataract operations, which as of today have improved the eyesight of hundreds of millions of patients. Hyaluronan is also used in the treatment of osteoarthritis and facial wrinkles. The Endre A. Balazs Professorship in Innovation and Entrepreneurship made possible by the donation will contribute to the development and commercialisation of research discoveries for the benefit of society.

Read more about the donation on KI News, May 13, 2015: “Karolinska Institutet creates a new professorship in innovation and entrepreneurship“