The last naturally occurring case of smallpox in the world was diagnosed in Somalia
On Oct. 30, 1977, Ali Maow Maalin, a hospital cook in Merca, Somalia, was diagnosed with smallpox by…
The first lupus awareness observance occurred
On Aug. 31, 1977, in recognition of the seriousness of lupus and America’s commitment to its control, the…
Arthur Canfield Upton became the eighth director of the National Cancer Institute
On Jul. 29, 1977, Arthur Canfield Upton, M.D. became the eighth director of the National Cancer Institute (NCI)…
Biotechnology | Diagnostics | HIV | Infectious Disease | Life Science History | Therapeutics | Vaccine | Women's Health
PATH was founded with seed money from the Ford Foundation
On May 12, 1977, the Program for the Introduction and Adaptation of Contraceptive Technology (PIACT) was founded by…
CDC | Infectious Disease | Life Science History | Measles | NIH | U.S. Congress | Vaccine
U.S. Dept. of Health, Education, and Welfare (HHS) announced nationwide Childhood Immunization Initiative
On Apr. 6, 1977, the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare (now Department of Health and Human Services)…
Donald Kennedy, Ph.D., became Commissioner of Food and Drugs
On Apr. 4, 1977, Donald Kennedy, Ph.D., became Commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Kennedy,…
The Priestley Medal was awarded to Henry Gilman
In 1977, the Priestley Medal was awarded to Henry Gilman by the American Chemical Society “to recognize distinguished…
Bristol-Myers introduced BICNU (carmustine), for treatment of brain and lymphatic cancers
On Mar. 7, 1977, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Bristol-Myers’ BICNU (carmustine), for the treatment of…
The first national cancer patient education program (I Can Cope) was founded
In 1977, the first national cancer patient education program (I Can Cope) was founded by the National Cancer…
National Cancer Institute established the first electronic registry of cancer clinical trials (CLINPROT)
In 1977, the National Cancer Institute (NCI) established the first electronic registry of cancer clinical trials (CLINPROT). This…
Dr. Jack Costello first identified a genetic disorder, now known as Costello syndrome
In 1977, Dr. Jack Costello, a geneticist in New Zealand, first identified a genetic disorder, now known as…
The IBPGR project to develop a standardized computer system for germplasm was cancelled due to cost
In 1977, the International Board for Plant Genetic Resources (IBPGR) having inherited from the Food and Agriculture Organization’s…
The U.S. FDA Bioresearch Monitoring Program was introduced
In 1977, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) established the Bioresearch Monitoring Program (BiMo) to develop cross-center…
Biology | Infectious Disease | Life Science History | Measles | NIH | Polio | Therapeutics
The National Childhood Immunization Initiative was launched
In 1977, Joseph A. Califano, Jr., Secretary of the Dept of Health, Education, and Welfare (later Health and…
Rosalyn Yalow won a share of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for the development of radioimmunoassays of peptide hormones.
In 1977, Rosalyn Yalow won a share of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for the development…
Multiple research programs at the Scripps Clinic and Research Foundation drawn together into the Research Institute of Scripps Clinic
In 1977, the multiple research programs that had developed were formally drawn together into the Research Institute of…
Charles C. Edwards was named president and CEO of Scripps Clinic and Research Foundation
In 1977, Charles C. Edwards, formerly the nation’s top government health official, was named president and CEO of…
The Stanford Research Institute changed its name to SRI International
In 1977, Stanford Research Institute changed its name to SRI International. Stanford Research Institute, now known as the…
The original Naval Medical Center tower was designated a historical landmark
In 1977, the original Naval Medical Center tower was designated a historical landmark and entered into the Registry…
The CDC isolated Legionella pneumophila, which caused Legionnaires’ disease in Philadelphia
In 1977, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) isolated Legionella pneumophila, which caused a deadly…
Schering-Plough Animal Health introduced AR-Pac vaccines for swine
In 1977, Schering-Plough Animal Health introduced AR-Pac vaccines for swine. For years, Iowa State University veterinary medicine researchers…
Eugene Goldwasser published Purification of Human Erythropoietin in the Journal of Biological Chemistry
In 1977, Eugene Goldwasser published Purification of Human Erythropoietin (EPO) in the Journal of Biological Chemistry. Goldwasser spent…
Dana-Farber received NCI Comprehensive Cancer Center designation
In 1977, Dana-Farber (DF) received National Cancer Institute (NCI) Comprehensive Cancer Center designation one of the first in…
Virus particle structure was determined
In 1977, Harvard Medical School researcher Stephen C. Harrison first determined the structure of an intact virus particle,…
Lineberger Foundation pledged $1 million to building fund for new cancer research center building
In 1977, the Lineberger Foundation pledged $1 million to a building fund for a new cancer research center…
Dr. Henry Friesen of McGill University discovered the hormone prolactin and defined its role as a major cause of infertility in women
In 1977, Dr. Henry Friesen of McGill University discovered the hormone prolactin and defined its role as a…
Stﾠ. Jude Children’s Research Hospital received NCI designation
In 1977, St.ﾠ Jude Children’s Research Hospital received National Cancer Institute designation. St.ﾠJude Children’s Research Hospital opened it’s…
Ilya Prigogine from the University of Texas at Austin awarded the Nobel Prize for Chemistry
In 1977, Ilya Prigogine from the University of Texas at Austin was awarded the 1977 Nobel Prize “for…
swine flu vaccination program in the U.S. Suspended following reports of paralysis
On Oct. 13, 1976, the swine flu vaccination program in the U.S. was suspended following reports of paralysis. …
Ebola virus was first identified in Sudan and Zaire (now Democratic Republic of the Congo)
On Oct. 13, 1976, the Ebola virus was first identified in Sudan and Zaire (now Democratic Republic of…