The Discovery of Insulin

Photos by Alan L Brown - Posted May, 2010

On the outside wall of the Medical Sciences Building, here at 1 King's College Circle at the University of Toronto, are the English and French versions of an Ontario Heritage Trust plaque describing Banting and Best's momentous discovery. Here's what it says:

Plaque coordinates: 43.661298 -79.39368

In one of the most important advances in modern medicine, a team of investigators isolated and purified insulin in a building which stood on this site. On May 17, 1921, Frederick Banting, a young surgeon, and Charles Best, a recent graduate in physiology and biochemistry, began a series of experiments on pancreatic secretions in an attempt to find a treatment for "diabetes mellitus". Working under the general direction of J.J.R. Macleod, an expert in carbohydrate metabolism, they developed a promising anti-diabetic extract. James Collip, a noted biochemist, then increased the purity and potency of the substance. With the first successful clinical test of insulin on a human diabetic on January 23, 1922, Banting, Best, Macleod and Collip ensured prolonged lives for millions of diabetics throughout the world.

Related Toronto plaques
Sir Frederick Banting
John James Rickard Macleod

Related Ontario plaque
Banting House

More
Medicine

Here are the visitors' comments for this page.

Posted December 2, 2010
I was diabetic for more than 40 years. I owe my life to Banting and Best and their research.

Here's where you can write a comment for this page.

Note: If you wish to ask me a question, please use the email link in the menu.

Note: Comments are moderated. Yours will appear on this page within 24 hours
(usually much sooner).

Note: As soon as the comment is posted, a link to it will appear on the home page in the section "Here are the 10 latest plaque pages with a new comment added by a visitor to this site."