An American actor has raised more than $425,000 for a Syrian refugee scholar, whose tragic story in a blog moved him “to tears."

The three-time Oscar-nominated actor, Edward Norton, fund-raised in excess of $425,000 through his charity website Crowdrise for a PhD-holding Syrian refugee dubbed "the Scientist" who aims to “make a lasting contribution to the world.”

"I saw this story on one of my favorite sites, Humans of New York, and it moved me to tears."

The Syrian scientist (seen below) lost seven members of his family including his wife and a daughter when the compound he had built for his family in Syria was bombed two years ago.

He himself is reportedly suffering from stomach cancer that has not been properly treated due to lack of healthcare in the country.

"This man has suffered profound loss that would crush the spirit of many people and yet he still passionately wants a chance to contribute positively to the world," Norton said. "If we don't welcome people like this into our communities and empower his dream of making an impact with his life, then we're not the country we tell ourselves we are."

The scientist reacted to the fund raising, saying, “I still think I have a chance to make a difference in the world. I have several inventions that I’m hoping to patent once I get to America. One of my inventions is being used right now on the Istanbul metro to generate electricity from the movement of the train. I have sketches for a plane that can fly for 48 hours without fuel. I’ve been thinking about a device that can predict earthquakes weeks before they happen. I just want a place to do my research. I learned today that I’m going to Troy, Michigan. I know nothing about it. I just hope that it’s safe and that it’s a place where they respect science. I just want to get back to work. I want to be a person again. I don’t want the world to think I’m over. I’m still here.”

US President Barack Obama was also drawn to the Syrian refugee’s story and posted on Facebook, "As a husband and a father, I cannot even begin to imagine the loss you've endured. You and your family are an inspiration. Yes, you can still make a difference in the world, and we're proud that you'll pursue your dreams here. Welcome to your new home. You're part of what makes America great."

The scientist is now living in Istanbul and awaits move to Troy, Michigan.

This is while Obama’s plan to resettle 10,000 Syrian refugees in the US this year has been met with resistance from some congressional lawmakers and state governors.

Earlier this month, Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump made global headlines calling for a "total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the US" following the San Bernardino massacre.