Michiaki Takahashi Explained
was a Japanese virologist, best known for inventing the first chickenpox vaccine. He developed the "Oka" vaccine by producing v-Oka, a live-attenuated virus strain of varicella zoster virus.[1]
Life
Born at Higashisumiyoshi-ku, Osaka, Japan, on February 17, 1928, Takahashi earned his MD in 1954 from Osaka University's Medical School, and completed in 1959 the Graduate Course of Medical Science, majoring in poxvirus virology.[2]
Between 1963 and 1965 he studied at Baylor College of Medicine in Texas, and at the Fels Research Institute of Temple University, in Philadelphia.
The experience of watching his eldest son, Teruyuki, suffer from chickenpox while studying in the U.S. led him to begin development of a chickenpox vaccine in 1971. The research was extremely difficult, but was completed in 1973.In 1984, the vaccine was certified by the WHO as the most suitable chickenpox vaccine, and in 1986, the Japanese Ministry of Health and Welfare approved it for practical use in countries around the world.
Takahashi became the director of Osaka University's Microbial Disease Study Group in 1994.[3] After retirement from Osaka University, he was given the title professor emeritus.[4]
He died on December 16, 2013, from heart failure.[5] [6]
Awards
Legacy
The Japanese Society for Vaccinology presents an annual prize named in Takahashi's honor: The Japanese Society for Vaccinology Takahashi Prize, founded in October 2005.[9]
On 17 February 2022, Takahashi was honoured with a Google Doodle on his 94th birthday.[10]
External links
Notes and References
- Quinlivan. Mark. Breuer. Judith. Schmid. D Scott. 2011. Molecular studies of the Oka varicella vaccine. Expert Review of Vaccines. en. 10. 9. 1321–1336. 10.1586/erv.11.93. 21919621. 9806464. 1476-0584. 2022-02-17. 2022-02-17. https://web.archive.org/web/20220217174452/https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1586/erv.11.93. live.
- Book: Vaccine development. 9781441911087. Artenstein. Andrew W.. 2009. 19 October 2020. 17 February 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220217174451/https://books.google.com/books?id=ewdL8ilILZAC&q=takahashi+michiaki%E3%80%801928&pg=PA266. live.
- News: Molina . Brett . Google Doodle honors Dr. Michiaki Takahashi, developer of first chickenpox vaccine . 17 February 2022 . USA Today . 17 February 2022.
- Takahashi . Dr. Michiaki . Dedication . The Journal of Infectious Diseases . November 1998 . 178 . s1 . Siii–iii . 10.1086/514252 . free .
- Web site: 訃報:高橋理明さん８５歳＝大阪大名誉教授、ウイルス学. Mainichi Shimbun. Japanese. December 19, 2013. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20131219162636/http://mainichi.jp/select/news/20131219k0000m060059000c.html. December 19, 2013.
- News: Yardley . William . Michiaki Takahashi, 85, Who Tamed Chickenpox, Dies . The New York Times . 22 December 2013 . 27 February 2017 . 11 February 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170211220257/http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/22/health/michiaki-takahashi-85-who-tamed-chickenpox-dies.html . live .
- Book: Artenstein . Andrew W. . Vaccines: A Biography . 11 December 2009 . Springer Science & Business Media . 978-1-4419-1108-7 . 267 . en . 17 February 2022 . 17 February 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220217174451/https://books.google.com/books?id=ewdL8ilILZAC&dq=Saburo+Kojima+Memorial+Culture+Award+%281975%29&pg=PA267 . live .
- Web site: 日本人名大辞典+Plus . ブリタニカ国際大百科事典 小項目事典,デジタル版 . 高橋理明とは . コトバンク . ja . 2022-02-16 . 2022-02-16 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220216191522/https://kotobank.jp/word/%E9%AB%98%E6%A9%8B%E7%90%86%E6%98%8E-1087757 . live .
- Web site: 高橋賞. The Japanese Society for Vaccinology website. Japanese. December 19, 2013. December 19, 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20131219111830/http://www.jsvac.jp/takahashi.htm. live.
- Web site: Dr. Michiaki Takahashi's 94th Birthday. 2022-02-17. Google. en. 2022-02-16. https://web.archive.org/web/20220216234454/https://www.google.com/doodles/dr-michiaki-takahashis-94th-birthday. live.
