On May 16, 1953, Dr. Jonas Salk initiated the first community-based pilot trial of the Polio vaccine in the Pittsburgh suburb of Sewickley, drawing volunteers from the practices of two area physicians. By year’s end, nearly 700 children and adults had received the vaccine.

Dr. Julius S. Youngner developed a method to more efficiently measure antibody levels in order to accommodate the increasing number of blood sera samples coming into the lab. The color change test replaced the more laborious roller tube technique.