Google doodle celebrates Michiaki Takahashi who developed the first chickenpox vaccine

Today's Google doodle commemorated the birth anniversary of Japanese virologist Dr Michiaki Takahashi who was responsible for developing the first vaccine against chickenpox. The doodle has been illustrated by Tokyo, Japan-based guest artist Tatsuro Kiuchi.

Takahashi’s lifesaving vaccine, which has been utilized over the years in over 80 countries, has been administered to millions of children around the world as an effective measure to prevent chickenpox disease.

Takahashi was born today in the year 1928 in Osaka, Japan, and was the first to develop a vaccine against chickenpox in early 1974. Takahashi while caring for his son who had developed a serious bout of chickenpox decided to turn his expertise toward effectively fighting against the highly transmissible disease.

He began culturing live but weakened chickenpox viruses in animal and human tissue and within five years of development, it was ready for clinical trials. So, in 1974, Takahashi had developed the first vaccine targeting the varicella virus that causes chickenpox which was proven to be extremely effective. 

The Research Foundation for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University in 1986, began the rollout as the only varicella vaccine approved by the World Health Organization.