It is with great sadness that we learn of the decease of Prof. Dr. William E. Paul, Chief of the Laboratory of Immunology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Bethesda, USA. Bill Paul was a member of the Scientific Advisory Board of CeMM from the very beginning and had a great influence on the development of our institute. We lose an extraordinary scientist and highly esteemed mentor. His advice, constructive criticism and encouraging words will be dearly missed by the CeMM Directors and by the entire CeMM Faculty. Our thoughts are with his family and collaborators as well the large number of disciples. 

As a scientist Dr. Paul was an immunologist of great influence and impact, best known for his path breaking work on cytokine biology including the discovery of interleukin-4. His honors included the Founders Prize, Texas Instruments Foundation; Life Sciences Award, Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology; Abbott Laboratories Award in Clinical and Diagnostic Immunology; the Max Delbruck Medal; and the Clemens von Pirquet Medal. He received the Lifetime Achievement Award and the Excellence in Mentoring Award from the American Association of Immunologists and the Honorary Lifetime Membership Award from the International Cytokine Society. Dr. Paul was the recipient of honorary degrees from the State University of New York, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, the University of Rome La Sapienza, and the National University of Athens, among others. He served as Director of the NIH Office of AIDS Research, was a member of the National Academy of Sciences, its Institute of Medicine, and the Association of American Physicians, and he also was a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. He was President of the American Association of Immunologists and the American Society for Clinical Investigation. Since 1970 Dr. Paul has been Chief of the Laboratory of Immunology at the NIH. His textbooks on immunology have helped train generations of scientists. At CeMM we will also miss his incomparable sense of humor, his deep humanist culture and fatherly attention. Bill Paul will continue to inspire us also in future.