Scientist of the day - John Franklin Enders

John Franklin Enders 

Famous As: The Father Of Modern Vaccines

Nationality: American

Birth Date: February 10, 1897

Died On: September 8, 1985

The Father of modern vaccines, John Franklin Enders was an America virologist and microbiologist who casted an important influence on the field of science through his revolutionary research and discoveries. A leader in modern virology, Enders is credited for cultivating the polio-virus in tissue cultures of human cells which led to the development of an attenuated live vaccine for polio. However, this isn’t all that Enders achieved in his career. Enders isolated the measles virus and in turn developed the measles vaccine that successfully put an end to the disease. Interestingly, upon reading the achievements, one tends to believe that Enders tryst with science started early. However, it is quite amazing to find out that Enders did not opt for science until quite late in his life. He was in fact enrolled for a literature course at Harvard when he befriended some medical students who rekindled Enders’ interest in biology and medicine. He then decided to enter as a candidate for the Ph.D. degree in bacteriology and immunology. Upon receiving his doctorate degree, Enders started his research program. In 1953, he jointly received the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for culturing the poliovirus. Later in his career, he isolated measles virus and developed measles vaccine as well.

John Franklin Enders was born in an affluent family, on February 10, 1897, in West Hartford, Connecticut, to John Ostrom Enders and Harriet Goulden Enders. His father was the 

CEO of the Hartford National Bank and left Enders $19 million upon his death.

Major Works:

Enders’ contribution in the field of virology and immunology has been immense. He is credited with cultivating the poliomyelitis virus in non-nervous tissue cultures, which served as a preliminary step to the development of the polio vaccine in 1953 by Dr Jonas Salk. Other important contribution made by him was isolating measles virus and in turn developing the measles vaccine.

Awards & Achievements:

In 1954, Enders, along with his fellow researchers Robbins and Weller, received the prestigious

 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his discovery of the ability of the polio viruses to 

grow in culture of various types of tissues.

In 1955, Enders received the Kyle Award from US Public Health Service.

Enders was felicitated with the Presidential Medal of Freedom and Science Achievements 

Award from the American Medical Association in 1963.

In 1967, he became a foreign member of the Royal Society of London.

Personal Life & Legacy:

John Franklin Enders tied the nuptial knot with Sarah Frances Bennett in 1927. 

The couple was blessed with two children, John Ostrom Enders II and Sarah Enders.

After the death of his wife in 1943, Enders married Carolyn B. Keane of 

Newton Center, Massachusetts. From her, he had a son William Edmund Keane.

Enders breathed his last on September 8, 1985, in Waterford, Connecticut, at the age of 88.