World Leprosy Day was established
On Jan. 26, 1953, World Leprosy Day was established by Raoul Follereau a French writer and journalist. This…
University of Alberta chemist Ray Lemieux announced the first synthesis of sucrose
In 1953, University of Alberta chemist Ray Lemieux, along with George Huber, announced the synthesis of sucrose for…
Harold Urey and Stanley Miller conducted experiments that suggest amino acids arose in the early Earth’s primordial soup
In 1953, American chemists Harold Urey and Stanley Miller reported the production of biomolecules from simple gaseous starting…
Plastic blood bag was invented
In 1953, William P. Murphy, Jr., an American doctor working with colleague Carl Walter, developed the blood bag…
Factory Inspection Amendment required FDA to give manufacturers written reports of conditions observed during inspections
In 1953, the U.S. Congress enacted the Factory Inspection Amendment which clarified previous law and required the U.S….
Tetanus and diphtheria toxoids (adult formulation) was first licensed in the US
In 1953, tetanus and diphtheria toxoids (adult formulation) were first licensed in the U.S., after the concentration of…
Yale established first pharmacology department in the U.S. to focus on cancer chemotherapy and drug development
In 1953, Yale established the first pharmacology department in the U.S. to focus on cancer chemotherapy and cancer…
The CDC first reported rabies in a bat
In 1953, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported the first transmission of rabies by…
The Communicable Disease Center National Surveillance Program was developed
In 1953, national incidence reporting began in the U.S., with documented cases and operational data from each reporting…
Medtronic was founded as a medical equipment repair shop by Earl Bakken and his brother-in-law, Palmer Hermundslie
In 1953, Medtronic was founded as a medical equipment repair shop by Earl Bakken and his brother-in-law, Palmer…
South Jersey Medical Research Foundation chartered
In 1953, Lewis L. Coriell worked with Camden City business and civic leaders to charter the South Jersey…
Coriell Institute for Medical Research was established
In 1953, Coriell Institute for Medical Research is an internationally known, non-profit, biomedical research institution headquartered in Camden,…
Dr. Heinz E. Lehmann and Dr. G. Hanrahan of Montreal conducted the first clinical trial of the antipsychotic drug chlorpromazine
In 1953, Dr. Heinz E. Lehmann and Dr. G. Hanrahan of Montreal conducted the first clinical trial of…
South Carolina General Assembly authorized school of dentistry as part of the Medical College of South Carolina
In 1953, the General Assembly of South Carolina passed an act that authorized the development of a school…
Agriculture | Biology | Disease | Life Science History | Medicine | Non-Profit Research | Therapeutics | Veterinary
Betty Delores Stough became the first woman to earn a PhD at the Virginia Agricultural and Mechanical College (parasitology)
In 1953, Betty Delores Stough became the first woman to earn a Ph.D. at the Virginia Agricultural and…
Biotechnology | Diagnostics | Life Science History | Medical Device | Non-Profit Research | Therapeutics
Quinton Instruments was founded by University of Washington biomedical engineer Wayne Quinton
In 1953, Quinton Instruments was founded by University of Washington biomedical engineer Wayne Quinton with the initial focus…
A national blood clearinghouse was established In the US
In 1957, the AABB formed a national blood clearinghouse to monitor the implementation of standards for blood banking….
Biology | Diagnostics | Disease | Life Science History | Medicine | Non-Profit Research | Polio | Therapeutics | Vaccine
The Salk Institute for Biological Studies was founded in La Jolla, California
In 1953, the Salk Institute for Biological Studies was founded in La Jolla, California. For more than a…
The Supreme Court ruled the factory inspection provision of the 1938 FDC Act was too vague to be enforced
On Dec. 8, 1952, in U.S. v. Cardiff, the Supreme Court ruled that the factory inspection provision of…
FDA consumer consultants appointed in each field district to maintain communications with consumers
In November, 1952, U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) consumer consultants were appointed in each field district to…
Dr. William Hammon published first evidence that antibodies to polio could prevent disease
In Oct. 1952, Dr. William McDowall Hammon of the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health published…
The University of California Radiation Laboratory (Livermore) was founded
On Sept. 2, 1952, the University of California Radiation Laboratory, now known as the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory…
Drs. Lillehei and Lewis at the University of Minnesota performed the world’s first successful open-heart operation
On Sept. 2, 1952, Dr. C. Walton Lillehei professor of surgery at the University of Minnesota, and colleague…
Diagnostics | Environmental | Life Science History | Medical Device | Non-Profit Research | Therapeutics
Founders day at The University of California Radiation Laboratory (Livermore)
On Aug. 26, 1952, Founders Day marks the date that Ernest Lawrence received permission to open up a…
Heat-phenol inactivated typhoid vaccine by Wyeth was licensed
On Jul. 16, 1952, a heat-phenol inactivated typhoid vaccine by Wyeth was licensed by the U.S. Food and…
Dr Jonas Salk first innoculated children at the D T Watson Home for Crippled Children in Leetsdale, Pennsylvania
Jul. 2, 1952, Dr. Jonas Salk first innoculated children at the D. T. Watson Home for Crippled Children…
Dr. Jonas Salk began taking blood samples from recently paralyzed polio patients to determine antibody types
On Jun. 12, 1952, Dr. Jonas Salk went to the D. T. Watson Home for Crippled Children (now…
Dr. William Hammon enrolled 15,868 children in Sioux City, Iowa for Polio vaccine trial
In Jun. and Jul. of 1952, Dr. William Hammon continued with his gamma globulin Polio vaccine field trials…
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…
FDA | Life Science History | Polio | Vaccine
Dr. William Hammon conducted the first placebo-controlled field trial of gamma globulin in Provo, Utah
In September 1952, Dr. William Hammon conducted the first placebo-controlled field trial of gamma globulin that, in just…