Thomas, Lewis

(born Nov. 25, 1913, Flushing, N.Y., U.S.—died Dec. 3, 1993, New York City) U.S.

physician and author. He attended medical school at Harvard and later taught at various universities. He was president of New York's Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (1973–83). He translated his passionate interest in and wonder at the intricate mysteries of biology into lucid meditations and reflections on biology in award-winning essays. The best-known of his widely read books is The Lives of a Cell (1974, National Book Award).