Dr. George Davis Snell was a pioneering American immunogeneticist whose groundbreaking work transformed our understanding of tissue transplantation and immune recognition. Born on December 19, 1903, in Bradford, Massachusetts, he developed a passion for genetics during his undergraduate studies at Dartmouth College, where he earned a B.S. degree in biology in 1926. He then pursued graduate studies at Harvard University under Professor William Castle, completing his M.S. in 1928 and his Ph.D. in 1930 with research on gene linkage in mice. Following his doctoral work, Snell taught at Dartmouth and Brown University before embarking on his seminal research career at the University of Texas with Hermann J. Muller, a future Nobel laureate in genetics.
Snell's most significant contribution was his discovery of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC), specifically the H2 complex in mice, which governs tissue compatibility and transplant rejection. Through meticulous breeding of congenic mouse strains - genetically identical except for specific histocompatibility genes - he isolated and characterized the genes responsible for immune recognition of foreign tissue. His innovative approach of creating these specialized mouse models allowed for the precise study of single genes within a constant genetic background, revolutionizing immunogenetic research. This work provided the molecular explanation for why tissue transplants are rejected and established the genetic basis for immune responses at the cellular level, fundamentally changing transplantation medicine.
For his transformative discoveries, Snell shared the 1980 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine with Jean Dausset and Baruj Benacerraf, cementing his legacy as a founding figure in immunogenetics. His research at the Jackson Laboratory, where he spent nearly forty years from 1935 until his retirement in 1973, laid the foundation for modern organ transplantation and profoundly influenced autoimmune disease research. Snell's congenic mouse strains became essential tools for immunologists worldwide, enabling countless discoveries about immune system function and genetic control of disease susceptibility. Even after retirement, he continued to contribute to science through writings on the philosophical and ethical dimensions of genetic research, leaving an enduring legacy that continues to shape biomedical science today.
