Google doodle on Thursday celebrated with an artwork the birthday of Michiaki Takahashi, the Japanese virologist who developed the first vaccine against chicken pox. The vaccine prevents severe cases of the contagious viral disease and its transmission. The vaccine has been administered to children around the world.

Takahashi was born on February 17, 1928, in Osaka, Japan. He earned his medical degree from Osaka University and joined the research institute for microbial disease, Osaka University, in 1959.

After the completion of his studies in measles and polio, he accepted a research fellowship at Baylor College in the United States in 1963. When his son contracted chicken pox, it led Takahashi to turn his expertise towards combating the highly transmissible illness.

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He returned to Japan in 1965 and began culturing live but weakened chicken pox viruses in animal and human tissue and was ready for clinical trials within five years.

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In 1974, he developed his first vaccine targeting the varicella virus that causes chicken pox. It was subjected to rigorous research with immune-suppressed patients and was proven to be extremely effective. In 1986, Osaka University began its rollout in Japan as the only varicella vaccine approved by the WHO.

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This lifesaving vaccine was soon used by over 80 countries and Takahashi was appointed director of Osaka University. He continued in the position until his retirement.