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Merck facilities recognized by the ASM as ‘Milestones in Microbiology’ sites
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The American Society for Microbiology recognized Merck Research Laboratories facilities in Rahway, NJ and West Point, Pa. as “Milestones in Microbiology” sites for their involvements in anti-infectives and vaccines, respectively, according to a recent news release.
“Merck is honored to be the first biopharmaceutical company to receive this recognition from the American Society for Microbiology as we celebrate our 125th anniversary,” Roger M. Perlmutter, MD, PhD, president of Merck Researchers Laboratories said in the release. “We are proud of our legacy of antimicrobial research and remain steadfast in our commitment to treating and preventing infectious diseases.”
The American Society for Microbiology (ASM) Millstones in Microbiology program honored the Merck Research Laboratories (MRL) facilities due to their advancements in vaccines and medicine to fight infectious diseases. Among their chief research and development efforts, researchers at MRL had advanced the process of deep tank fermentation, which helped lead to mass production of penicillin, as well as collaborated with Selman Waksman of Rutgers University, leading to the discovery of streptomycin as an effective TB treatment. MRL researchers also developed multiple new antibiotic medicines by culturing and screening organisms from sites worldwide and developed a treatment for river blindness (onchocerciasis), winning them the 2015 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. – by Savannah Demko
Disclosure: Perlmutter is president of Merck Researchers Laboratories.