Celebrating the Legacy of Baruch S. Blumberg: A Century of Impact, a public event July 29 in Philadelphia and online
Doylestown, Pa., July 18, 2025 – The Hepatitis B Foundation, Baruch S. Blumberg Institute and American Philosophical Society, will join together to celebrate the legacy—and the 100th birthday—of the late Baruch S. Blumberg, MD, DPhil, on July 29 at the Society’s Benjamin Franklin Hall, 427 Chestnut St., Philadelphia.
A brilliant scientist and global health pioneer, Dr. Blumberg was awarded the Nobel Prize in Medicine or Physiology in 1976, along with D. Carleton Gajdusek, for discovering “new mechanisms for the origin and dissemination of infectious diseases.”
In 1967, Dr. Blumberg and colleagues discovered the hepatitis B virus and developed a blood test to detect the virus. Two years later he co-invented the first hepatitis B vaccine, which is known today as the world’s first “anti-cancer vaccine.” He conducted his research at Fox Chase Cancer Center and was a professor of medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.
Dr. Blumberg was instrumental in the formation of the Hepatitis B Foundation and Institute for Hepatitis and Virus Research. The latter was renamed the Baruch S. Blumberg Institute after his passing in 2011. He worked continuously with our scientists and public health team, and he maintained an office on our Doylestown campus. Dr. Blumberg served on the Foundation’s Scientific and Medical Advisory Board and as its Distinguished Scholar for nearly two decades until he passed away. He provided energizing leadership, inspiring encouragement and invaluable professional support and guidance for our ongoing efforts to discover a cure for hepatitis B and serve those impacted by disease.
Dr. Blumberg was born on July 28, 1925, and on that date every year people around the globe celebrate World Hepatitis Day his honor. This year’s centenary commemoration, “Celebrating the Legacy of Baruch S. Blumberg: A Century of Impact,” will bring together distinguished speakers who worked with Dr. Blumberg, honoring the Philadelphia roots and global impact of his work.
The event will run from 12 to 3 p.m. EDT. The public is invited to attend, free of charge, or experience the event remotely via American Philosophical Society's YouTube channel. Registration is required for in-person participation; click here to register.
A keynote presentation by Sir Mark Thompson, chairman and CEO of CNN Worldwide and former CEO of The New York Times, will open the event. He is married to Dr. Jane Blumberg, daughter of Baruch and Jean Blumberg.
Dr. Harvey Alter, who was a friend and colleague of Dr. Blumberg, also will make a presentation. In 2020, Dr. Alter was awarded the Nobel Prize in Medicine or Physiology with collaborators, Dr. Michael Houghton and Dr. Charles Rice, for discovering the hepatitis C virus.
These presentations will be followed by a panel discussion with Dr. Jane Blumberg; Dr. Timothy Block, co-founder and board chair of the Hepatitis B Foundation; Dr. Chari Cohen, president of the Hepatitis B Foundation; and Dr. Walter Tsou, a member of the board of directors of the Foundation and president of the Philadelphia County Medical Society.
“My professional path has been influenced by the privilege of working with extraordinary mentors, and Dr. Blumberg was among the most remarkable,” Dr. Cohen said. “From a global perspective, there are very few people in history who truly changed the course of humanity, saving millions if not hundreds of millions of lives; Dr. Blumberg is one of those people. At the Hepatitis B Foundation, our work continues because of the foundation he laid.”
Dr. Alter (left) and Dr. Blumberg, both Nobel Prize recipients,
at the Hepatitis B Foundation’s Princeton Workshop in 2002.
A co-founder of the Hepatitis B Foundation, Dr. Block went to Oxford University in 1991 to work with Dr. Blumberg in his lab for a year, and then for several weeks each summer for the next eight years, which led to a deep scientific collaboration and friendship.
“Dr. Blumberg was one of the most extraordinary people I’ve ever known,” said Dr. Block. “He was as kind as he was brilliant—endlessly curious, deeply compassionate and profoundly impactful. His discoveries have saved millions of lives. The world is a far better place because of him.”
Dr. Block (left) and Dr. Blumberg in 2005 at an event in New Hope, Pa.
Also for World Hepatitis Day this year, the Hepatitis B Foundation is holding a special event at its headquarters in Doylestown. Its leadership, staff, supporters and local officials will gather at 4 p.m. on July 28 for the official unveiling of new, lighted exterior signs for the facilities of the Blumberg Institute, Hepatitis B Foundation and Pennsylvania Biotechnology Center (PABC), along with a new honorary designation, the Timothy M. Block Research Campus.
“Together these two events celebrate the past, present and future of hepatitis B research, public health, and the people who continue this life-saving work,” said Dr. Cohen. “The Hepatitis B Foundation commemorates World Hepatitis Day by raising awareness about viral hepatitis. With almost 300 million individuals living with hepatitis B worldwide, it is extremely important to bring awareness to this preventable and treatable disease.”
About Hepatitis B: Hepatitis B is the most common serious liver infection in the world. It is caused by the hepatitis B virus that attacks and injures the liver. Each year more than 1 million people die from hepatitis B worldwide, even though it is preventable and treatable. Hepatitis B is a “silent epidemic” because most people do not have symptoms when they are newly or chronically infected. Thus, they can unknowingly infect others and continue the spread of hepatitis B. For people who are chronically infected but don’t have any symptoms, their livers are still being silently damaged, which can develop into serious liver diseases such as cirrhosis or liver cancer.
About the Hepatitis B Foundation: As the world’s leading hepatitis B advocacy and research organization, the Hepatitis B Foundation is one of the most active proponents of improving hepatitis B screening, prevention and treatment of the disease. We are the only nonprofit organization solely dedicated to finding a cure for hepatitis B and improving the quality of life for those affected worldwide through research, education and patient advocacy. Founded in 1991, the Hepatitis B Foundation is based in Doylestown, Pa., with staff in Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia. To learn more, go to www.hepb.org, read our blog, follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram and Facebook (@hepbfoundation) or contact us through info@hepb.org or 215-489-4900.
About the Baruch S. Blumberg Institute: An independent, nonprofit research organization, the Blumberg Institute was launched in 2003 by the Hepatitis B Foundation to advance its research mission. Today, the Institute is a leading center for translational research in hepatitis B, liver cancer and related diseases. Our scientists primarily focus on understanding the pathobiology of hepatitis B virus and related diseases, developing diagnostics for early detection of liver cancer and therapeutics for the cure of chronic hepatitis B. The Institute’s faculty members have expertise in virology, immunology, cancer biology, chemistry and drug development. Its labs and offices are in the Pennsylvania Biotechnology Center (PABC), which it manages, in Doylestown, Pa. The PABC runs a state-of-the-art incubator in Philadelphia, B+labs at Cira Centre, in partnership with Brandywine Realty Trust. Visit our website and follow us on LinkedIn and X, @BlumbergInstit1.