The FDA approved 5-FU as an anticancer drug
In 1962, Alfred Hershey and Martha Chase showed that only the DNA of a virus needs to enter…
The Laboratory of Viral Oncology was established
On Jan. 12, 1961, the Laboratory of Viral Oncology was established at the National Cancer Institute to investigate…
Life Science History | Polio | Vaccine | WHO
Oral polio vaccine, developed by Dr Albert Sabin, was licensed for use in the U.S.
In 1961, oral polio vaccine, developed by Dr. Albert Sabin, was licensed for use in the U.S. In…
Outbreak in South Africa raises possibility of wild birds as a possible reservoir for influenza A viruses
In 1961, influenza virus was first isolated from wild birds in South Africa, from common terns (Sterna hirundo),…
The first antiviral drug was developed at Yale
In 1959, William Prusoff of Yale University discovered idoxuridine, the first effective antiviral that fights herpes by interfering…
The “Asian” influenza pandemic resulted in an estimated 70,000 deaths in the U.S. alone
In Feb. 1957, a new influenza A (H2N2) virus emerged in East Asia, triggering a pandemic (‘Asian Flu’)….
New H2N2 flu virus emergedﾠ to trigger a pandemic
In Feb. 1957, a new influenza A (H2N2) virus emerged in East Asia, triggering a pandemic (“Asian Flu”)….
Dr Jonas Salk received gold medal from President Dwight Eisenhower, designating him “a benefactor of mankind”
On Jan. 27, 1956, Dr. Jonas Salk, developer of the Polio vaccine released in 1955, received a special…
CDC’s influenza branch designated a WHO Collaborating Centre for Surveillance and Control of Influenza
In 1956, the CDC’s Influenza Branch in Atlanta was designated a World Health Organization (WHO) Collaborating Centre for…
Officials discover polio cases after vaccine produced by Cutter Laboratories accidently contained live virus
On Apr. 26, 1955, Officials first noticed an increase in reported polio cases in California. Soon it was…
Salk polio vaccine was announced
On Apr. 12, 1955, the polio vaccine developed by Dr. Jonas Salk at the University of Pittsburgh was…
Convocation held at the University of Michigan proclaimed “The Vaccine Works!”
On Apr. 12, 1955, a convocation was held at the University of Michigan (UM), where Dr. Thomas Francis…
Simian virus 40 accidentally administered to humans through contaminated Poliovirus vaccines
From 1955 through early 1963, millions of people were accidentally exposed to simian virus 40 (SV40) as a…
The Cutter Incident, a production error, caused some polio vaccine to be tainted with live polio virus
In 1955, Cutter Laboratories, located in Berkeley, California and one of several companies licensed by the U.S. government…
Canada contributed to the safe cultivation of the poliovirus for polio vaccine
In 1955, Canada contributed to the safe cultivation of the poliovirus, using Medium 199, and an incubation process…
John Enders, Thomas Weller, and Frederick Robbins were awarded Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine
In 1954, John Franklin Enders and Peebles isolated measles virus from an 11-year-old boy, David Edmonston. Disappointed by…
Nobel Prize in Medicine awarded for discovery of the ability of poliomyelitis viruses to grow in tissue cultures
In 1954, the Nobel Prize in Medicine was awarded to John Enders, Thomas Weller, and Fredrick Robbins for…
John Enders and Thomas Peebles isolated the measles virus in cell culture
In 1954, John Enders, known as “the Father of Modern Vaccines” and Thomas Peebles isolated the measles virus…
John Franklin Enders was awarded Nobel Prize in Medicine
In 1954, John F. Enders, a native of West Hartford, Connecticut and a graduate of Yale University (B.A….
WHO’s Global Influenza Surveillance and Response System established
Since 1952, global influenza surveillance has been conducted through WHO’s Global Influenza Surveillance and Response System (GISRS). The…
The Zikus virus was identified in humans
In 1952, the Zika virus was identified in humans. The virus was first discovered in Uganda in 1947….
DNA is found to be the genetic material of some viruses
In 1952, Alfred Hershey and Martha Chase showed that only the DNA of a virus needs to enter…
The Chikungunya virus was first recognized and isolated in southern Tanzania
In 1952, the Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) was first recognized and isolated from Makonde Plateau in southern Tanzania. Chikungunya…
The Global Influenza Surveillance and Response System was created by the WHO
In 1952, the Global Influenza Surveillance and Response System (GISRS) was created by World Health Organization (WHO) to…
Monkey kidney tissue to be the most fertile environment for Polio virus growth
In 1952, Dr. Jonas Salk and his team found monkey kidney tissue to be the most fertile environment…
Biotechnology | COVID-19 | Diagnostics | Life Science History | NIH | Non-Profit Research | Polio | Vaccine
Henrietta Lacks died from cervical cancer, and HeLa cell line was born
On Feb. 8, 1951, Henrietta Lacks, a tobacco farmer from Virginia died from cervical cancer, and a scientist…
Dr. Jonas Salk and his team began using Enders’ methods to grow poliovirus
In 1951, Dr. Jonas Salk and his team began using Dr. John F. Enders’ methods to grow poliovirus,…
John Enders, Thomas Weller and Frederick Robbins grew poliovirus in culture, paving the way for polio vaccines
In 1949, John Enders, Thomas Weller and Frederick Robbins grew poliovirus in culture, paving the way for polio…
A team of Harvard researchers found that the poliovirus could be grown in non-neural tissue cultures
In 1949, a team of Harvard researchers led by Dr. John F. Enders found that the poliovirus could…
Dr Jonas Salk began classifying more than 100 strains of poliovirus
In 1949, Dr. Jonas Salk, with grants from the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis, the Pitt team and…