Memorial for Dr. Marinkovich on October 13, 2007

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Dr. Marinkovich, immunologist known as 'Dr. Mold,' dies

Steve stein, Chronicle Staff Writer

Thursday, September 27, 2007

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Dr. Marinkovich, a dedicated Redwood City immunologist nationally known

as " Dr. Mold " because of his extensive knowledge of illnesses caused by exposure

to fungus, has died.

sfgate_get_fprefs(); Dr. Marinkovich, 74, died Sept. 17 at

home of gall bladder cancer.

" He was a brilliant, creative, determined and compassionate doctor, " said his

daughter Nina. " He never gave up on anyone. And he always answered his cell

phone. "

For decades, Dr. Marinkovich specialized in diagnosing and treating mysterious

ailments caused by household molds that baffled other doctors. Patients from

throughout the United States were referred to him.

In 1999, he founded Immune Tech, a Menlo Park company that offered a $60 mail

order home testing kit for allergies. Customers were instructed to prick their

fingers and submit blood samples, which were analyzed for allergen and mold

sensitivities - with results sent directly to the customer.

He also developed the MAST allergy blood test that detected allergens with the

use of cellulose fibers in an enzymatic test chamber.

A native of San Pedro (Los Angeles County) and the son of a fisherman, Dr.

Marinkovich was a 1955 graduate of California Institute of Technology and a 1959

graduate of Harvard Medical School. He taught at Cal Tech and at Stanford

Medical School before opening a private practice in Palo Alto and other

locations in 1973, where he worked until shortly before his death.

He enjoyed hiking at Pescadero Beach in San Mateo County and in the Yosemite

high country, and he was a student of military history, particular World War II

and the Civil War. He was fond of mysteries, classical music and ballet. During

the holidays, he enjoyed making deep-fried Croatian cookies based on ancestral

recipes.

His lifelong battle against the effects of household mold was waged inside his

own home as well, his wife, , recalled.

" Mold was a dirty word in our house, " she said. " We had lots of fans running.

The house was watertight, and we were very careful. And there was no family

get-together where mold didn't get worked into the conversation. It got to be

something of a family joke. "

He is survived by his wife, , and by children of Palo Alto,

and Tess of Redwood City, and Nina, Zoe and Anya of San Francisco.

A memorial service will be held on Oct. 13 at 2 p.m. at the Congregational

Church of San Mateo at 225 Tilton Ave.

Memorial donations may be sent to the Yosemite Fund, 155 Montgomery St., Suite

1104, San Francisco, CA 94104, or to public television station KQED, 2601

Mariposa St., San Francisco, CA 94110.

This article appeared on page B - 5 of the San Francisco Chronicle

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