Baruch Blumberg was born in New-York in 1925. His training as a physician and anthropologist enabled him to undertake a comparative study on the spread of diseases among various populations in the world.

During the course of his study, he discovered a method for identifying the Hepatitis B virus. This, in turn, made it possible for the public health system to combat one of the world’s most widespread and virulent infectious diseases.

Blumberg’s technique is used by blood banks to check donor blood for the Hepatitis B virus, thereby helping to prevent further contamination.

After identifying the virus, Blumberg went on to develop a vaccine against it, and demonstrated its relation to hepatic cancer.

In 1976, Baruch Blumberg received the Nobel prize in physiology or medicine for his contribution to the study of infectious diseases.