Sir Frederick Grant Banting

Born:

November 14, 1891, Alliston, Ontario, Canada

Died:

February 21, 1941, near Musgrave Harbour, Newfoundland, Canada (plane crash)

Nationality:

Canadian

Profession(s):

Physician, Medical Scientist, Painter

Early Life and Education

• Banting initially enrolled in the General Arts program at Victoria College, University of Toronto.
• He switched to Medicine in 1912.
• He graduated with a medical degree in 1916.
• Served in the Canadian Army Medical Corps during World War I.

Career and Major Achievements

• In 1921, Banting, along with Charles Best, under the direction of J.J.R. Macleod, began research on isolating the internal secretion of the pancreas at the University of Toronto.
• They successfully isolated insulin, a hormone that regulates blood sugar levels.
• The discovery of insulin revolutionized the treatment of diabetes.
• Banting shared the 1923 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine with John James Rickard Macleod. He shared his portion of the prize money with Charles Best. Macleod shared his portion of the prize money with James Collip.
• Appointed Professor of Medical Research at the University of Toronto.
• Knighted in 1934 by King George V.

Notable Works

• Co-discovery of insulin.
• Research on silicosis and cancer.
• Served as a liaison officer between the British and North American medical services during World War II.

Legacy and Impact

Sir Frederick Banting's co-discovery of insulin is one of the most significant medical breakthroughs of the 20th century, saving millions of lives affected by diabetes. As this entry about frederick banting biography wikipedia shows, his contributions extended beyond diabetes research to include other areas of medical science and service to his country.

Awards and Recognition

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