In 1916, French-Canadian bacteriologist Felix-Hubert D’Herelle discovered viruses that prey on bacteria and named them bacteriophages or bacteria eaters.

D’Herelle set up a lab in his Montreal home at age 24 and went on to discover a biological control of pests and a cure for bacterial infections using bacteria-eating bacteriophages. D’Herellees’ work led to the founding of the ‘Phage Group’ of scientists who collectively ushered in the era of molecular biology.