Dr. Lawrence Mark Lichtenstein, a world-renowned immunologist at Johns Hopkins University for more than 40 years, passed away peacefully on August 5, 2022. He was 88.

Dr. Lichtenstein did pioneering work leading to a better understanding of asthma and allergies to ragweed and bee venom, and in 1989 was knighted by the Italian government for training physicians there.

Through Hopkins' Division of Clinical Immunology and later its Asthma and Immunology Center, more than 150 doctors from 30 countries have received clinical and research training from a group led by Dr. Lichtenstein and Dr. Phil Norman. His role as a mentor was one of the great joys of his life. Over the years,

Dr. Lichtenstein published more than 700 scholarly works, garnering more than 42,000 citations.

He is survived by Carolyn, his loving wife of 66 years, his three children Elizabeth, Joshua and Rebekah and their spouses and seven grandchildren, Sam, Jackson, Ben, Isaac, Eliseo, Alice, and Joe.

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Dr. Lichtenstein was born May 31, 1934 in Washington D.C to Sam and Lillian, and grew up there with his sisters Barbara and Marianne. He graduated from Woodrow Wilson High School before attending the University of Chicago as an undergraduate. He received his Doctor of Medicine degree from the U. of C. in 1960.

It was at the U. of C. that Larry met the love of his life, Carolyn Eggert, also an undergraduate. They began dating, and were married at the Quadrangle Club in June of 1956.

From Chicago, he moved to an internship at the Osler Medical Service at Hopkins in 1961 and went on to receive a Ph.D. in Microbiology in 1965. He began a long and productive collaboration with Dr. Norman at this time. In the 1970s, Dr. Lichtenstein and Dr. Norman created a separate division of Clinical Immunology, housed at Good Samaritan Hospital in Baltimore. From small beginnings, the department became a preeminent center for allergy and immunology research. In 1989 the division moved to a new state-of-the-art facility, The Johns Hopkins Asthma and Immunology Center at Bayview. Dr. Lichtenstein was particularly proud when the Italian government in 1998 awarded him the Cavaliere di Gran Croce in recognition of training so many young Italian doctors in collaboration with Dr. Gianni Marone. It is the highest recognition given by the Italian government, and one rarely bestowed on foreigners.

Dr. Lichtenstein grew up in a family firmly rooted in the secular Jewish tradition of social justice, and carried on their sentiments, becoming actively involved in the civil rights movement in the 1950s, working to desegregate the Johns Hopkins Hospital, and in the 1960s, to end the war in Vietnam. He supported many local Baltimore and Maryland politicians and was active in fundraising for Democratic candidates. When he wasn't working, Dr. Lichtenstein loved being with his family at home in the Mount Washington neighborhood of Baltimore, where he kept a large vegetable and cut flower garden. He was an avid reader, especially of history, and he continued to enjoy swimming regularly, as well as playing bridge.

No formal service is planned. In lieu of flowers, contributions in his memory may be sent to the Planned

Parenthood Federation of America.

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by Baltimore Sun from Aug. 9 to Aug. 10, 2022.

Memories and Condolences
for Lawrence Lichtenstein

Sponsored by The Baltimore Sun.

8 Entries

Richard R. Rosenthal, M.D.

August 2, 2025

I was in Dr. Lichtenstein and Dr. Norman's post doctoral allergy program from 1971-1973, the third such class, I believe. I had several publications as co-author to Dr. Lichtenstein and a continuing relationship as a faculty member, till the present time. I was participant and witness to the evolution and fruition of the Division of Allergy and Clinical Immunology at Hopkins under the stewardship of Dr. Lichtenstein and others. Myself and so many many others now carry forward Larry's scientific curiosity, desire to teach and share, create new information, and above all, his scientific integrity. My entire professional life was shaped by this exposure and engagement for which I am eternally grateful.

David R Herron

March 24, 2024

I am so sorry to learn about Larry's passing. I know that he was Susan MacDonald's friend and mentor and if she were alive she would join me in my sorrow!!!

Gayle Greenwood

August 26, 2022

I´m very sorry to hear this sad news. I so enjoyed my time in Larry´s office at the Asthma Center. He was a terrific boss and a true gentleman. My thoughts and prayers are with the Lichtenstein family.

Diane Batshaw Eisman

August 26, 2022

I do remember Larry and Carolyn from my days At University of Chicago. They were wonderful brilliant loving kind people.

Richard R. Rosenthal, M.D.

August 10, 2022

In the summer of 1970 I got a call while rounding in the ICU during my 2nd year of medical residency. It was Larry: "Do you still want the fellowship here?" he asked. I was in the third "class" of post-docs and the 5th post doc trained, 1971-1973. Early on during that time he had agreed to write a textbook chapter and he said to me "You do this", so I did. It was published with both of our names and he put mine first. From then on I lived in the days of the giants, a witness to the emergence of allergy and clinical immunology as a respected, productive, transformative, and revolutionary medical specialty, in large part the consequence of Larry and Phil Norman's dedication to science and teaching.
Larry's career touched and influenced countless lives and his passing is a passage for many of us whose lives he helped to shape.

Lisa Beck, MD (URMC Dermatologist)

August 10, 2022

With Larrys passing - we have lost a true Giant in the Field of Allergy - and those of us who worked with him saw his passion for family. Although death is sad and final - it is an opportunity to embrace and remember a remarkable life and realize he lives on in his children and grandchildren in so many ways.
(I did my postdoc in the lab of Bob Schleimer - after getting encouragement from Larry to leave my faculty position at JHU to train-up in research techniques. The years spent at JHAAC 1990-2006 were seminal years for me personally and professionally and I owe much of that to the leadership of Dr. Lichtenstein).

Jane Cigarroa Unzeitig, MD

August 10, 2022

The Texas Allergy Society advised us of the death of Dr Lichtenstein. Though I did not have the opportunity to learn at his side, yet his body of work, his dedication to his patients and to the training of physicians and especially of allergists is greatly admired and appreciated. His gifts will continue to bear fruit in the form of advances in both the art and science of medicine.