Timeline

Bacteriology at UW-Madison has a long history of excellence in both basic and applied microbiology, beginning in the later years of the nineteenth century. This tradition continues today. Below, are some of the department’s major contributions to the University of Wisconsin and to the field of microbiology.

2007		The Department moves into the new Microbial Science Building. Four faculty members from the former Food Microbiology and Toxicology Department join Bacteriology, greatly enhancing the Department’s expertise in food microbiology.
2004		E. B Fred Hall is demolished and the Microbial Sciences Building is built on the same site.
1978		Vinod K. Shah and W. J. Brill identify the critical region of nitrogenase, the enzyme responsible for converting atmospheric nitrogen to ammonia.
1970		Thomas Brock begins his pioneering work on the study of life in extreme environments. He isolates Thermus aquaticus, the bacterium which produces Taq polymerase. The enzyme is used in the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), a DNA amplification procedure that is central to much of the biotechnology industry. T. Kent Kirk begins his work on lignin degradation, which is a critical issue for the pulp and paper industry. He is the first to identify the enzymes involved in lignin degradation and develop detailed descriptions of their catalytic mechanisms.
1966		E.M. Foster becomes head of the Food Research Institute when it moves to Madison. Subsequently, under Professor Foster’s leadership, the Department of Food Microbiology and Toxicology is established.
1958		E. L. Tatum becomes the first Bacteriology alumnus to win the Nobel Prize in medicine and physiology (with J. Lederberg and G. W. Beadle).
1955		A building dedicated to bacteriology research and instruction is built. This is later named E. B. Fred Hall to commemorate Fred’s contributions to the Department and University.
1950		Stanley Knight identifies triacetin, a treatment of athlete’s foot and skin fungus. It is licensed to Ayerst and sold under the name Enzactin, becoming WARF’s 10th most profitable patent.
1948		Ira Baldwin becomes Vice President of the University, serving with E. B. Fred.
1947		The departmental name is changed from Agricultural Bacteriology to Bacteriology.
1945		E. B. Fred is appointed by the Regents as President of the University Wisconsin, a position he holds until 1958. He was previously Dean of the Graduate School and, subsequently, the College of Agriculture.
1943		Elizabeth McCoy becomes the second woman at the University, outside of the fields of home economics and nursing, to attain the rank of full professor.
1940		During WWII, W. H. Peterson (Biochemistry), Marv Johnson (Biochemistry), E. McCoy, and R. H. Burris (Biochemistry) work on aspects of antibiotics production on campus, while K. Raper works on the same problem at the Northern Region Research Labs in Peoria. W. B. Sarles relocates to Washington D.C. and the United Kingdom. Raper’s isolate of Penicillium chrysogenum becomes the parent strain of all high-producing strains.
1932		Fred, Baldwin, and McCoy publish the definitive text on nitrogen fixation, “Root-nodule Bacteria and Leguminous Plants”. It is still affectionately known as the “root nodule bible.”
1914-1932		The Department adds notable faculty including William Wright, Ira Baldwin, Elizabeth McCoy, and William Sarles.
1914		The Department of Agricultural Bacteriology is formally established with E. G. Hastings as inaugural Chair.
1913		E. B. Fred is hired in the College and begins the legacy that made UW a world leader in the study of biological nitrogen fixation.
1910		Hastings manufactures and distributes johnin, a diagnostic of Johne’s disease in cattle, as well the antigen used in the serological test for Bang’s disease in cattle.
1909		Frost develops methods for making dehydrated culture media and invents the Frost gasometer.
1907		Russell is appointed Dean of the College of Agriculture.
1904		Russell and E. F. Turneaure (Engineering) study the process of sewage treatment and disposal including the survival of bacterial sewage organisms in the Chicago Drainage Canal. They show that the typhoid fever causative agent did not survive the rigors of travel through the canal and rivers leading to the St. Louis water supply.
1901		Russell and S. M. Babcock (Agricultural Chemistry, now Biochemistry) demonstrate the value and utility of cold curing cheese, which greatly improves the quality and profitability of Wisconsin cheese.
1899		Russell and E. G. Hastings demonstrate at industrial scale that lower temperature pasteurization kills tuberculosis bacilli without damaging the appearance of milk, helping increase the use of pasteurization of the Wisconsin milk supply.
1895		W. D. Frost begins his studies on streptococci in milk, developing detection methods and studying antagonism among bacteria.
1894		Russell solves the problem of incomplete sterilization of canned peas at Landreth Canning Company in Manitowoc, WI, which changes industrial sterilization practices nationally. He traces the “exploding cans” problem to bacteria that ferments sugar and produces gas, solving the problem by increasing pressure without increasing the sterilization time.
1893		Russell joins the university faculty as the first Professor of Bacteriology.
1889		E. G. Hastings begins work with Harry Russell on pasteurization of milk, cream, whey. He recognizes the need for reliable starer cultures in the manufacture of Swiss cheese, and begins to supply such starter cultures to cheese makers.
1886		Professor Edward Birge (Botany) organizes the first formal course in bacteriology.
1881		The first UW Bacteriology class is taught by Professor William Trelease, who incorporates bacteriology into the general botany course. This is believed to be the first bacteriology class taught at any American university.