David W. Talmage, M.D.

Brief Bio

David Wilson Talmage (1919–2014) was the distinguished professor of the University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus. Dr. Talmage was president of The American Association of Immunologists from 1978 to 1979 and served on the AAI Council from 1973 to 1978. He was awarded the AAI Lifetime Achievement Award in 1994.

Oral History - Full Interview

Interview Date: Wednesday, August 29, 2012
Location: Denver, CO

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Oral History - Transcript

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Oral History - Clips

Family and Personal Background (9:59)
When Did You Consider a Career in Medicine? (1:13)
When Did You Develop an Interest in Research Science? (1:06)
Beginning a Career in Immunology (1:42)
Shift from Serological to Cellular Approach to Immunology (5:59)

Move to Colorado (4:02)
Greatest Accomplishment (1:25)
Balancing Professional and Family Life (2:07)
What Do You Do for Fun? (0:20)
Impact of Immunological Research on the Average Citizen (4:22)
Ongoing Scientific Work (2:22)

AAI Service History

Joined: 1954
President: 1978–1979
Vice President: 1977–1978
Councillor: 1973–1977

The Journal of Immunology
Associate Editor: 1968–1972
Editorial Board: 1973–1977

Committees
Awards Committee: 1979–1980 (chair)

Other Service
AAI Representative to FASEB Board: 1977–1980
AAI Representative to FASEB Public Affairs Committee: 1981–1983

President's Address

"Beyond Cellular Immunology," Delivered April 8, 1979

The Journal of Immunology 123, no. 1 (July 1979): 1–5.

Awards and Honors

Member, National Academy of Sciences, 1976
Member, Institute of Medicine, 1978
AAI Lifetime Achievement Award, 1994
Sandoz Immunology Prize (now the Novartis Prize for Immunology), 1995

Institutional/Biographical Links

The Journal of Immunology obituary
Monarch Society obituary

AAI In Memoriam

David W. Talmage

Past AAI president (1978-1979) David W. Talmage, M.D. (AAI '54), a distinguished professor at the University of Colorado, died on March 6, 2014. Talmage was credited with conceptualizing many central tenets of immunology, in particular those that led to the clonal selection theory. A member of the AAI Council from 1973 to 1978, Talmage was the recipient of the AAI Lifetime Achievement Award in 1994. An AAI in memoriam appeared in the June/July 2014 issue of the AAI Newsletter. For highlights of Talmage's AAI service and career achievements, and to view his 2012 interview for the AAI Oral History Project, visit his profile in the History section of the AAI site.