Philip W. Askenase

Dr. Philip Askenase of New Haven, Connecticut, a pioneering physician-scientist in the field of immunology and a longtime member of the Yale School of Medicine faculty, passed away peacefully on Thursday, March 12, at the age of 86. He was born on June 7, 1939, in Brooklyn, New York.

For more than five decades, he was a fixture of Yale’s immunology community as a physician, scientist, and mentor. Dr. Philip Askenase devoted his life to medicine, science, and the study of the immune system—work that helped shape the field of clinical immunology over the course of a remarkable career.

After graduating from Yale School of Medicine in 1965, he continued his training at several of the world’s leading institutions, including Harvard Medical School, the National Institutes of Health, and the London Hospital Medical College, where he deepened his work as both a clinician and researcher in the emerging field of immunology.

In 1971, after completing his training, Phil received competing offers to join the faculties of both Harvard and Yale. His mentor at Yale, Dr. Fred Kantor, made a pitch that perfectly captured Phil’s spirit of curiosity and joy in discovery: “You can go to Harvard and compete, or you can come join me at Yale and have fun.” Phil chose Yale—and remained there for the next 55 years, building an extraordinary career as a physician, scientist, teacher, and mentor.

Over the course of his career, Phil made wideranging contributions to the understanding of how the immune system functions in health and disease. He published 229 scientific papers, and his work has been cited more than 22,000 times by researchers around the world, making him one of the most highly cited immunologists of his generation. His research helped illuminate the mechanisms behind allergic reactions and immune regulation, and he collaborated in early work related to the discovery of Lyme disease.

Phil’s career also reflected a deep commitment to patient care and public health. In 1985, at the height of the AIDS epidemic and during a time of widespread fear and misunderstanding about the disease, he founded Yale’s Adult AIDS and HIV Clinic, helping to ensure compassionate medical care for those affected. That same year he became Chief of Clinical Immunology at Yale School of Medicine, a position he held until 2011.

Even in his later years, Phil’s scientific curiosity never faded. He continued publishing influential research well into his eighties and remained deeply engaged with colleagues and students. His work was recognized with numerous honors, including the Lifetime Achievement Distinguished Scientist Award from the American Association of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology in 2018.

Yet numbers and accolades tell only part of Phil’s story. What mattered most to him was service—to patients, to students, and to the broader medical community. As a medical student in 1963, he volunteered to treat participants in Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s March on Washington who had been injured or jailed during the protests. Throughout his life, he cared for patients with dignity and compassion, regardless of background or circumstance.

Beyond his remarkable professional life, Phil was a deeply curious, energetic, and larger-than-life presence to those who knew him. He brought the same enthusiasm to everyday conversation that he brought to scientific discovery. Whether discussing a research idea, a political debate, a historical story, or a joke, his booming voice, animated storytelling, and unmistakable laugh filled the room.

Phil approached the world with boundless curiosity and a genuine interest in people. Conversations with him were rarely brief and often ranged widely across science, medicine, history, and current events. Just as often, he wanted to know about the lives of the people around him—their families, their children, and what they were passionate about. A former basketball player himself, he was also a devoted and enthusiastic fan of the UConn Huskies women’s basketball team and rarely missed a chance to follow their games.

Phil was a devoted husband and father who took great pride in his family. His wife, Marjorie, who predeceased him, was his life’s partner and a constant source of love and support throughout his long professional journey. Together they built a life filled with curiosity and adventure, including several years living and traveling throughout Europe during Phil’s early career—an experience that became a formative chapter for the entire family.

To his family, Phil was a devoted father and grandfather who took immense pride in the lives of his children and grandchildren, encouraging curiosity and independent thinking in the next generation. He had a particular affection for young people and delighted in learning what excited and motivated them.

This same perspective shaped the way he mentored and taught. When interviewing candidates for Yale’s medical school, Phil was often far more interested in their interests outside the classroom—their hobbies, passions, and personal stories—than in their academic achievements. He believed that understanding who someone was as a person mattered as much as understanding what they had accomplished.

Colleagues and students remember not only his scientific brilliance but also his warmth, generosity, and enthusiasm as a mentor to generations of physicians and scientists.

His curiosity about the world and his genuine interest in the lives of others left a lasting impression on the many people who had the good fortune to know him.

He is survived by his two daughters, Isabel Stover and Hilary Tordai; his sons-in-law, Jeremy Tordai and Cain Newman; and his four beloved grandchildren, Felix, Nathan, Everly, and Leo.

A graveside burial will be held on Sunday, March 15, at 2:45 PM at Sharon Memorial Park, 40 Dedham Street, Sharon, Massachusetts.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Phil’s memory may be made to the Whitney Center Staff Development Fund in memory of Dr. Philip Askenase, 200 Leeder Hill Drive, Hamden, CT 06517 (Attn: Philanthropy Department), or online at www.whitneycenter.com/giving