Michael Beaureguard Alan Oldstone

Michael B. A. Oldstone, internationally recognized for fundamental studies on the immunopathogenesis of viral infections—that is, how viruses cause disease—passed away at his home in La Jolla, California on July 13, 2023. He was 91 years old.

Oldstone’s studies were pioneering, the first to combine the disciplines of molecular virology, molecular immunology, and immunopathology. Studying such diverse viruses such as lymphocytic choriomeningitis (LCMV), measles, influenza, ebola, and cytomegalovirus, his work revealed the diverse and complex way individuals react to viral infection. He also showed that viruses cause many autoimmune diseases. These observations established Oldstone as a key founder of the field of viral pathogenesis. Through his own work and that of scientists he trained, Oldstone had a signature impact on the understanding and control of viral diseases.

Oldstone had a rich family life. He and his wife Betsy, née Elizabeth Hoster, were devoted to each other and married for more than 63 years. Other surviving family members include his three children, Jennifer Oldstone-Moore (Chris); Michael Oldstone, Jr. (Sarah); and Chris Oldstone (Liesl); his granddaughters Caroline Oldstone-Jackson (Nick Jackson), Aileen Oldstone-Moore, Madeleine Oldstone, Faye Oldstone, Raina Oldstone, and Marilee Oldstone-Moore; and a great-grandson, Gabriel Oldstone-Jackson. He was a dedicated father and grandfather.

Born in Manhattan on February 9, 1932, Oldstone was the son of Mona (née Green) and Jack Oldstone. His undergraduate degree was from the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa. His medical training and residency were completed at the University of Maryland, and he studied biochemistry at the Johns Hopkins University. In 1966 Oldstone began his career at Scripps Clinic and Research Foundation (now the Scripps Research Institute) in La Jolla, California. For the next 53 years, Oldstone was a fellow and then faculty at Scripps, eventually becoming the head of the Viral-Immunobiology laboratory. Oldstone’s impact on the field included mentoring 86 post-doctoral fellows and 3 graduate students, many of whom have become prominent leaders in their fields. He was the recipient of numerous national and international awards and was elected to several national and foreign societies, including the National Academy of Science and the National Academy of Medicine of the United States. Oldstone also wrote books on virology and immunology for the wider public, notably Viruses, Plagues, and History (Oxford), a widely read book used as a textbook in undergraduate institutions.

In addition to his lifetime commitment to science, Oldstone was a voracious reader of history and literature and a patron of the arts. Friends and family will remember his generosity, his love of good stories, and his undying passion for the food of New York Jewish delicatessens.

The family will hold a memorial service on Saturday, December 2 at 12.00 noon at the Soledad Club, 5050 Soledad Road in La Jolla. A reception will follow.

The first annual Michael Oldstone Lecture will be held Thursday, November 2 at 2.00 pm at the Scripps Research Hazen Auditorium, 10620 John Jay Hopkins Drive in La Jolla. A memorial and a reception will follow.

The family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to Doctors Without Borders.