Thomas Huckle Weller

Thomas Huckle Weller (June 15, 1915 – August 23, 2008) was an American virologist. He, along with his colleagues Albert Sabin and Frederick Chapman Robbins, was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1954 for showing how to cultivate poliovirus in test tubes, moving the study of viruses into the laboratory and paving the way for the development of the polio vaccine.

Early life and education[edit | edit source]

Weller was born on June 15, 1915, in Ann Arbor, Michigan. He attended the University of Michigan for his undergraduate studies in the liberal arts. He then went on to receive his medical degree from Harvard Medical School in 1940.

Career[edit | edit source]

After receiving his medical degree, Weller worked as a research fellow at Children's Hospital Boston and the Harvard School of Public Health. He then served in the United States Army during World War II, where he was stationed in Puerto Rico and studied tropical diseases.

In 1949, Weller, Robbins, and Sabin successfully grew the poliovirus in test tubes, a breakthrough that allowed for the development of the polio vaccine. For this work, they were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1954.

Weller also conducted important research on chickenpox, cytomegalovirus, and rubella, and he was instrumental in the development of the vaccine for chickenpox.

Death[edit | edit source]

Weller died on August 23, 2008, in Needham, Massachusetts.

References[edit | edit source]

External links[edit | edit source]

Nobel Prize Biography

Thomas Huckle Weller Resources
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