dHerelle

Félix d’Hérelle (1873–1949) was a microbiologist who independently discovered bacteriophages and coined the term bacteriophage. He is widely associated with the early development of phage therapy, the use of viruses that infect bacteria to treat bacterial infections.

In the 1910s, d’Hérelle conducted experiments that led him to identify bacteriophages as agents capable of infecting and lysing specific bacteria. He observed phage activity in samples such as sewage and developed methods to isolate and propagate phages for research and therapeutic use. He published reports describing phages and their potential to target pathogenic bacteria, laying the groundwork for what he argued could be a complementary or alternative approach to antibiotics.

D’Hérelle actively promoted the clinical application of phages, conducting case studies and trials and advocating for their therapeutic potential. His advocacy contributed to the spread of phage research beyond France, particularly in Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union, where phage therapy continued to be explored and used for several decades. In the English-speaking world, interest waned with the advent of antibiotics, though d’Hérelle’s ideas remained influential for later generations of researchers.

Legacy wise, d’Hérelle is often regarded as a founding figure in bacteriophage science and a pioneer of phage therapy. The modern revival of interest in phage therapy—driven by concerns about antibiotic resistance—draws on the early concepts and efforts associated with his work. His contributions helped establish phages as tools in microbiology and medicine, not only as instruments for studying bacteria but also as potential therapeutic agents.