Frederick Chapman Robbins (August 25, 1916 – August 4, 2003) was an American pediatrician and virologist.
Life and Career
Frederick Chapman Robbins was born on 25 August 1916, in Auburn, Alabama, United States.
Robbins attended Auburn High School and later enrolled at the University of Missouri, where he pursued his undergraduate studies. He then earned his medical degree from Harvard Medical School in 1940. After completing his medical training, Robbins embarked on a remarkable career in medicine and research.
In the early 1950s, Robbins, along with John Franklin Enders and Thomas Huckle Weller, conducted groundbreaking research on the cultivation of the poliovirus in tissue cultures. This revolutionary work paved the way for the development of the polio vaccine, leading to the successful vaccines developed by Jonas Salk and Albert Sabin.
Frederick Chapman Robbins passed away on 4 August 2003, in Cleveland, Ohio, United States.
Award and Legacy
In 1954, Robbins, Enders, and Weller were jointly awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for their crucial work in virology, which ultimately led to the prevention and control of polio.
Frederick Chapman Robbins’ contributions to virology and medicine have had a lasting impact on public health and vaccination strategies worldwide. His pioneering research laid the foundation for future vaccine development and contributed significantly to the eradication of polio, one of the most devastating diseases of the 20th century.