who found insulin

Insulin was discovered in 1921 by Sir Frederick G. Banting, Charles H. Best, and John J.R. Macleod at the University of Toronto. Banting, a Canadian surgeon, had the initial idea to extract insulin by tying off the pancreatic duct to preserve the insulin-producing cells (islets of Langerhans) while destroying other pancreatic tissue. Macleod provided the laboratory facilities and supervision, and Best, a medical student, assisted with the experiments. Later, James B. Collip, a biochemist, joined the team to purify the insulin extract to make it safe for human use. The team successfully isolated insulin from dogs' pancreases and demonstrated its ability to lower blood sugar levels in diabetic dogs. In January 1922, the first human patient, 14-year-old Leonard Thompson, was treated with insulin, which dramatically improved his condition. The discovery was a major medical breakthrough, transforming diabetes from a fatal disease to a manageable condition. Banting and Macleod were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1923 for the discovery, and Banting shared his prize money with Best in recognition of his contribution. The patents for insulin were sold to the University of Toronto for one dollar each, reflecting the team's commitment to making insulin widely available