Happy 100th anniversary to the discovery of insulin! Yes, it was in 1921 that Banting and Best started their famous experiments in Dr. Macleod’s lab at the University of Toronto. It was a true game-changer for people with diabetes.
Throughout this year, we will be celebrating all things insulin—stay tuned for monthly blogs about the discovery and evolution of this special hormone, written by CIM intern Eleanor! Learn more about Eleanor here.
A group of four men are typically credited with the discovery of insulin: Frederick Banting, Charles Best, John Macleod, and James Collip. You can learn more about the discovery of insulin in this blog post! Here’s what each were doing before and after their big discovery.
Sir Frederick Banting
Before
Banting grew up in Alliston, ON, Canada. He initially went to the University of Toronto to study divinity, but then switched to medicine. During World War I, he served in the Canadian Army Medical Corps in France. He was wounded in battle and awarded the Military Cross for heroism under fire. After the war, Banting returned to Canada to work as an orthopedic surgeon and receive his medical degree. [1]
After
Banting became somewhat of a celebrity after the discovery. In addition to receiving the 1923 Nobel prize in physiology or medicine, was also knighted by King George V in 1934. With funding from the Ontario Legislature, the University of Toronto hired Banting as Canada’s first research professor. [2] Banting moved on to research a variety of other health problems including lung disease and cancer, but he continued advocating for access to affordable insulin. [3]
A lesser known fact is that Banting was an avid painter, mentored by A.Y. Jackson of the Group of Seven. [4]
During World War II, Banting coordinated the National Wartime Medical Research effort, investigating treatments for mustard gas and developing oxygen masks and antigravity suits. While flying to England in 1941 to serve as a liaison between the British and North American medical services, he tragically died in a plane crash. [5]
Vanderpaul. Photographs of F. G. Banting ca 1929. The Discovery and Early Development of Insulin. University of Toronto Libraries, Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library. The Discovery and Early Development of Insulin, F.G. Banting (Frederick Grant, Sir) Papers. https://insulin.library.utoronto.ca/islandora/object/insulin%3AP10001.
Charles Best
Before
Best was born in West Pembroke, Maine, U.S in 1899. [6] He moved to Toronto in 1915 to study physiology and biochemistry at the University of Toronto. [7] In the Summer of 1921, a few weeks before graduating, he jumped at the chance to assist Banting with his research in Macleod’s lab. [8] Best flipped a coin with another student, Clark Noble, to see who would get to work with Banting first. He won the coin toss. [9]
After
Banting shared his half of the 1923 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine with Best. Best was put in charge of the Canadian production of insulin at Connaught Laboratories. While overseeing production, he enrolled in medical school at the University of Toronto. [10]
After receiving his medical degree, he pursued a PhD in London, England. He then took over for Macleod as head of Physiology at the University of Toronto and co-directed the Banting and Best Medical Research Department. After Banting died, he became Chair of the department. [11]
In addition to insulin, Best discovered the vitamin choline, the enzyme histaminase, and the blood thinner heparin. [12] Like Banting, he also contributed to the war effort by researching night vision and seasickness. [13]
Later, he returned to diabetes research and became the honorary president of the American Diabetes Association, Canadian Diabetes Association (Diabetes Canada), and the International Diabetes Foundation. He died in 1978. [14]
University of Toronto Libraries, Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library. Graduation photograph of Charles Best 1921. The Discovery and Early Development of Insulin. Feasby (William R) Papers. https://insulin.library.utoronto.ca/islandora/object/insulin%3AP10030.
John J.R. Macleod
Before
Macleod was born in 1876 in Cluny, Scotland. He studied medicine at the University of Aberdeen. He then worked as a Biochemistry lecturer and Demonstrator of Physiology at the London Hospital Medical School. [15]
He acted as Professor of Physiology at the Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio before joining the University of Toronto as a Professor of Physiology in 1918. [16]
He was particularly interested in carbohydrate metabolism and had published 37 papers on the topic. When Banting approached Macleod, he was an authority in the field at the height of his career. [17]
After
Macleod was appointed as the official secretary of the Insulin Committee at the University of Toronto to deal with issues of patenting and licensing. [18] Along with Banting, Macleod was awarded the 1923 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for the discovery of insulin. He shared his half of the prize with James Collip.
In Toronto, he campaigned for the establishment of an international standard for the potency of insulin. He then returned to Scotland in 1928 to teach physiology at his alma mater. [19]
Macleod had severe arthritis and it started to progress rapidly in the 1930s. He died in 1935. [20]
University of Toronto Libraries, Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library. Photograph of J.J.R. Macleod [ca. 1928]. The Discovery and Early Development of Insulin. Gerstein Science Information Centre selected items. https://insulin.library.utoronto.ca/islandora/object/insulin%3AP10134.
James Collip
Before
Collip was born in Belleville Ontario in 1892. He went to a one room schoolhouse and then enrolled in Trinity College in Toronto to study Biochemistry and Physiology at the young age of 15. During his time at Trinity, he met his future wife, Ray Vivian Ralph. He went on to receive a Master degree and PhD in Biochemistry at the University of Toronto. [21]
Collip worked as a lecturer in Biochemistry at the University of Alberta and did summer research in Nanaimo, BC, Chicago, and Great Britain. In Spring 1921, Collip returned to the University of Toronto to do chemistry research. In December, he joined the effort to purify insulin. [22]
After
After his year in Toronto, Collip went back to the University of Alberta to serve as the Chair of the Biochemistry department. He investigated alternative sources of insulin from clams, yeast, and plants. In the span of 5 years, Collip published forty papers and was awarded MD and DSc degrees. [23]
In 1928, Collip moved to Montreal and established a very influential medical research lab at McGill University. He specialized in endocrinology and identified numerous pituitary hormones. [24]
After Banting’s sudden death, he took on responsibility at the Associate Committee on Medical Research of the National Research Council. He also conducted naval, army, and aviation medical research during the war. Before retiring, he established a research laboratory at the University of Western Ontario and expanded the medical research program there. He died in 1965. [25]
University of Toronto Libraries, Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library. Photograph of J. B. Collip in a laboratory ca. 1927. The Discovery and Early Development of Insulin. Collip (James Betram) Papers. https://insulin.library.utoronto.ca/islandora/object/insulin%3AP10014.
References:
[1] “The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 1923.” NobelPrize.org, www.nobelprize.org/prizes/medicine/1923/banting/biographical/.
[2] “Sir Frederick Banting, MD.” Canadian Medical Hall of Fame, 1 Jan. 1994, www.cdnmedhall.org/inductees/frederickbanting.
[3] Nobelprize.org, “The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 1923.”, “Couldn’t Live Without It”: Diabetes, the Costs of Innovation and the Price of Insulin in Canada, 1922-1984. Christopher J. Rutty
[4] Canadian Medical Hall of Fame, “Sir Frederick Banting, MD”
[5] Canadian Medical Hall of Fame, “Sir Frederick Banting, MD”
[6] “Charles H. Best, MD PhD.” Canadian Medical Hall of Fame, 1 Jan. 1994, www.cdnmedhall.org/inductees/charlesbest.
[7] Updated on 15th January 2019, and Editor. “Charles Best.” Diabetes.co.uk, 13 Nov. 2019, www.diabetes.co.uk/pioneers/charles-herbert-best.html.
[8] Canadian Medical Hall of Fame, “Charles H. Best, MD PhD.”
[9] Palme, Rachel Delle. “Charles Best After Insulin Co-Discovery.” Banting House, 4 Apr. 2019, bantinghousenhsc.wordpress.com/2019/04/04/charles-best-after-insulin-co-discovery/.
[10] Palme, “Charles Best After Insulin Co-Discovery”
[11] Canadian Medical Hall of Fame, “Charles H. Best, MD PhD.”
[12] The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. “Charles H. Best.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 27 Mar. 2020, www.britannica.com/biography/Charles-H-Best.
[13] Canadian Medical Hall of Fame, “Charles H. Best, MD PhD.”
[14] Palme, “Charles Best After Insulin Co-Discovery”
[15] “The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 1923.” NobelPrize.org, www.nobelprize.org/prizes/medicine/1923/macleod/biographical/.
[16] Nobelprize.org, “The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 1923.”
[17] “Biography of John James Rickard Macleod (1876-1935).” The Discovery and Early Development of Insulin , University of Toronto Libraries, insulin.library.utoronto.ca/about/macleod.
[18] University of Toronto Libraries,“Biography of John James Rickard Macleod (1876-1935).”
[19] University of Toronto Libraries,“Biography of John James Rickard Macleod (1876-1935).”
[20] University of Toronto Libraries,“Biography of John James Rickard Macleod (1876-1935).”
[21] University of Toronto Libraries. The Discovery and Early Development of Insulin. Biography of James Bertram Collip (1892-1965). https://insulin.library.utoronto.ca/about/collip.
[22] University of Toronto Libraries. “Biography of James Bertram Collip (1892-1965).”
[23] University of Toronto Libraries. “Biography of James Bertram Collip (1892-1965).”
[24] University of Toronto Libraries. “Biography of James Bertram Collip (1892-1965).”
[25] University of Toronto Libraries. “Biography of James Bertram Collip (1892-1965).”
