Born in Osaka, Japan, in 1928, Michiyaki Takahashi earned his medical degree from Osaka University and joined the Microbial Disease Research Institute, Osaka University, in 1959.
Since its invention, Takahashi’s vaccine has been given to millions of children around the world as an effective measure to prevent severe cases of infectious viral disease and its transmission.
Born in Osaka, Japan, in 1928, Michiyaki Takahashi earned his medical degree from Osaka University and joined Osaka University’s Microbial Disease Research Institute in 1959. After studying measles and poliovirus, Dr. Takahashi accepted a research fellowship at Baylor College in 1963. The United States. During this time, his son developed chickenpox, which saw him turn to his expertise in combating the highly contagious disease.
After returning to Japan in 1965, Dr. Takahashi began live culture but weakened the chickenpox virus in animal and human tissues. In five years, the vaccine was ready for clinical trials. In 1974, Dr. Takahashi developed the first vaccine targeting the varicella virus that causes smallpox. It was later subjected to rigorous research with immunosuppressed patients and proved to be extremely effective.
Takahashi’s vaccine was then used in more than 80 countries. In 1994, he was appointed director of Osaka University’s Microbial Disease Study Group – a position he held until his retirement. Thanks to his innovations, millions of cases of chickenpox are prevented every year.
Today’s doodle is painted by Tokyo, Japan-based guest artist Tatsuro Kiuchi.