Who developed the vaccine for smallpox?

The development of the smallpox vaccine is attributed to Edward Jenner, who is often regarded as the father of immunology. In 1796, Jenner conducted an experiment where he inoculated a young boy with material taken from a cowpox sore, which led to the boy becoming immune to smallpox. This groundbreaking work laid the foundation for the concept of vaccination, which involves introducing a harmless form of a pathogen to stimulate the immune system.

Jenner's pioneering work was instrumental in demonstrating that exposure to a related virus could confer protection against a more harmful one. This technique proved fundamental in limiting and eventually eradicating smallpox, making it one of the first diseases to be successfully controlled by a vaccine. The approaches developed by Jenner set the stage for later advances in immunology and vaccination efforts against other infectious diseases.