Jonas Salk
Jonas Salk
Jonas Salk (pronounced: JOH-nuhs salk) was an American medical researcher and virologist best known for his discovery and development of the first safe and effective polio vaccine.
Etymology
The name Jonas is of Hebrew origin, meaning "dove". Salk is a surname of Ashkenazi Jewish origin, derived from the Hebrew word "Zalman".
Biography
Jonas Salk was born on October 28, 1914, in New York City. He earned his medical degree from the New York University School of Medicine in 1939 and became a medical researcher and later a virologist. Salk's work on an anti-influenza vaccine in the 1940s led him to his groundbreaking work on polio.
In 1955, Salk's polio vaccine was declared safe and effective. His vaccine was a killed-virus type, which was injected and required a series of shots. This was in contrast to the later oral polio vaccine developed by Albert Sabin, which was a live-virus type.
Salk founded the Salk Institute for Biological Studies in La Jolla, California in 1963, where he continued his research in immunology and other areas until his death in 1995.
Related Terms
- Polio: An infectious disease caused by the poliovirus, which can result in paralysis and death. Salk's vaccine has been instrumental in nearly eradicating this disease worldwide.
- Vaccine: A biological preparation that provides active acquired immunity to a particular infectious disease.
- Virology: The study of viruses and viral diseases.
- Immunology: The branch of medicine and biology concerned with immunity.
- Albert Sabin: A Polish-American medical researcher who developed an oral polio vaccine.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Jonas Salk
- Wikipedia's article - Jonas Salk
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