Charles Best

Charles Best was a physician and biomedical researcher best known for his role in the discovery and early development of insulin as a treatment for diabetes mellitus. Working in a Toronto laboratory in the early 1920s, he collaborated with established researchers and played a central role in translating experimental pancreatic extracts into a life-saving therapy. His subsequent career spanned clinical practice, research administration, and advocacy for biomedical science.

Early life and education

Best was born in Westminster, London and emigrated with his family to Canada as a child. He received preparatory education in Toronto before enrolling at Victoria University of Manchester for undergraduate studies and later matriculating at the University of Toronto for medical training. During his time at the university, he became associated with the medical research community in Toronto General Hospital and the university's Department of Physiology under senior investigators whose laboratories included personnel from institutions such as Harvard Medical School, Cambridge University, and the Rockefeller Institute. His academic path placed him within networks linked to the Royal Society and contemporary figures in endocrinology.

Medical career and research

Following graduation from the University of Toronto Faculty of Medicine, Best combined clinical duties with laboratory research in the Department of Physiology and affiliated institutes. He collaborated with students, technicians, and faculty members from institutions like Johns Hopkins Hospital, Massachusetts General Hospital, and the University of Michigan on experiments involving pancreatic physiology, carbohydrate metabolism, and endocrine function. His early publications appeared in journals circulated by organizations such as the Canadian Medical Association and were discussed at meetings of the American Physiological Society and the International Diabetes Federation. Over subsequent decades he held posts that connected him to hospitals and research organizations including the Toronto General Hospital, the University of Toronto research community, and national bodies funding biomedical science.

Discovery and development of insulin

In the early 1920s, Best worked in the laboratory of a senior physiologist at the University of Toronto on experiments designed to isolate a pancreatic extract to treat diabetes mellitus. Using experimental models and collaborating with surgeons and pathologists from institutions such as Toronto General Hospital and comparative laboratories with ties to Harvard Medical School and the Rockefeller Institute, the team prepared pancreatic extracts that lowered blood glucose in pancreatectomized dogs. These efforts culminated in clinical trials coordinated with clinicians at Toronto General Hospital and reported to the broader medical community through venues including the British Medical Journal and the Proceedings of the Royal Society.

The purified extract — later named insulin — was refined with input from biochemists and pharmacologists from bodies like the Connaught Laboratories and industrial partners in the pharmaceutical industry, enabling larger-scale production and distribution. The clinical introduction of insulin transformed management of diabetes mellitus, altering prognoses that had previously been documented in case series from hospitals across Europe and North America. The discovery prompted recognition from scientific societies including the Nobel Committee and generated extensive international collaboration among researchers in endocrinology and related specialties.

Later career and honours

After the initial discovery, Best continued research in endocrine physiology and related fields while taking on administrative and teaching roles at the University of Toronto and affiliated hospitals. He served on advisory committees and boards connected to organizations such as the Connaught Laboratories, the Canadian Medical Association, and national research councils. His contributions were acknowledged by awards and honors from institutions including the Royal Society of Canada, provincial orders, and international medical societies. Over his career he maintained professional relationships with investigators at the Rockefeller Institute, Harvard University, and universities across Europe and North America, and he influenced policy and funding priorities in Canadian biomedical research.

Personal life and legacy

Best married and raised a family in Toronto, where he balanced clinical work, laboratory research, and public service. His name is associated with museums, archives, and endowments at the University of Toronto and with commemorations by organizations such as the Canadian Diabetes Association and academic societies in physiology and endocrinology. The clinical and public health impact of the insulin development is reflected in guidelines from bodies like the International Diabetes Federation and in the continued research programs at institutions including the University of Toronto, Harvard Medical School, and the Rockefeller Institute. His papers and correspondence are preserved in archival collections that document interactions with contemporaries across the biomedical establishments of the 20th century.

Category:Canadian physicians Category:Medical researchers