Leone N. Farrell

Leone Norwood Farrell (1904 – 1986) was a Canadian biochemist and microbiologist who identified microbial strains of industrial importance and developed innovative techniques for the manufacture of vaccines and antibiotics. Her inventions enabled the mass production of the polio vaccine.[1]

Early life and education

Farrell was born in Monkland, Ontario in 1904 and moved to Toronto as a child. She completed her MA on the chemistry of fermentation in 1929 at the University of Toronto.[2] She obtained a PhD in biochemistry from the University of Toronto in 1933, which was rare for women at the time.[2][3]

Research

Farrell studied yeasts found in honey at the National Research Council of Canada[3] and worked at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine[2] following her PhD. She was recruited to Toronto's Connaught Research Laboratories in 1934. At Connaught, she worked on a team focused on developing toxoid vaccines for staphylococcus.[2] Upon turning her attention to the pertussis vaccine, she developed a method of rocking bacterial cultures to stimulate growth of the bacteria and increase yield.[4]

She began studying dysentery toxin in 1941 for use as a vaccine due to the wartime rise in infections.[5] In 1943, Connaught undertook a research program to increase penicillin production for the war effort and Farrell identified a strain of penicillium that allowed increased yield of antibiotic.[6] Following the war, she continued her efforts to improve penicillin production.[7]

In 1953, she and her team undertook the challenging task of producing live virus for the polio vaccine in bulk quantities.[8] After months of experimentation, she adapted her rocking method (now termed the Toronto Method)[2][9] to greatly increase the yield of live virus.[3][4] The live polio virus was then shipped to the United States to be killed for use in Jonas Salk's field trials,[8][9] as the Toronto team was the only one that could produce the virus in large enough quantities.[2][3][4]

She retired in 1969.[3] Her colleagues describe her as "a very serious person" possessed of "knowledge and mental fertility"; "She was a classic researcher and disciplined in her work to the extent that she knew you laid out a plan and followed it carefully for things to get done."[4]

Personal life

Farrell was remembered as 'very much a lady' by her colleagues[4] and as "a thoroughly charming and pleasant person" by her family.[10] She lived by herself and died in hospital in the presence of family in 1986.[10][11]

References
  2. "Dr Leone N Farrell (1904-1986)". PolioPlace.
  3. "Leone Norwood Farrell, PhD". Museum of Health Care at Kingston.
  4. Daly, Rita (April 17, 2005). "Toronto's Unknown Polio Soldier". Toronto Star. p. D1.
  5. Defries, Robert (1968). The First Forty Years 1914-1955; Connaught Medical Research Laboratories. University of Toronto Press. p. 116.
  6. Defries, Robert (1968). The First Forty Years 1914-1955; Connaught Medical Research Laboratories. University of Toronto Press. p. 193.
  7. Farrell, L. (1953). "Induced variation and strain selection of Penicillium chrysogenum in relation to titer of natural penicillins". Canadian Journal of Medical Sciences. 31 (6): 512–522. ISSN 0316-4403. PMID 13116058.
  8. Farrell, L. N.; Wood, W.; Macmorine, H. G.; Shimada, F. T.; Graham, D. G. (1955). "Preparation of poliomyelitis virus for production of vaccine for the 1954 field trial". Canadian Journal of Public Health. 46 (7): 265–272. ISSN 0008-4263. PMID 13240557.
  9. Rutty, Christopher J. ""Herculean Efforts" Connaught and the Canadian Polio Vaccine Story".
  10. Daly, Rita (December 4, 2005). "To 'Toronto's unknown polio soldier,' April 17; Footnote". Toronto Star. p. D12.
  11. "Pioneering female scientist to be commemorated". Toronto Star.
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