Warren Winkelstein facts for kids

Warren Winkelstein Jr. (born July 1, 1922 – died July 22, 2012) was an American scientist. He was an epidemiologist, which means he studied how diseases spread. He taught at the University of California, Berkeley. He was also a member of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences. In the 1960s, many people thought he was one of the best epidemiologists around.

Early Life and Education

Warren Winkelstein Jr. was born in Syracuse, New York. His father was a well-known lawyer. After finishing high school at the Putney School, Warren served in the U.S. Army during World War II.

After the war, he went to the University of North Carolina. There, he studied sociology. He then went to Syracuse University for medical school. He graduated in 1947. In 1950, he also earned a Master's degree in Public Health from Columbia University.

Career and Research

Winkelstein worked in Buffalo, New York for several years. He learned a lot from another important scientist, Abraham Morris Lilienfeld. Later, he moved to the University of California, Berkeley. He became a professor in the School of Public Health. He even served as the Dean of the school from 1972 to 1981.

Winkelstein made many important discoveries in epidemiology.

Polio Vaccine

Early in his career, he helped with studies on the polio vaccine. This vaccine helped protect people from polio, a serious disease.

Air Pollution and Heart Health

While in Buffalo, Winkelstein studied how air pollution affected people's health. He was able to show the direct link between pollution and health problems. He also helped us understand more about coronary artery disease in women. This is a type of heart disease.

Tobacco Smoke and Cancer

At Berkeley, Winkelstein did new research on tobacco smoke. He found a connection between tobacco smoke and cervical cancer. It took more than 20 years for his findings to be widely accepted by others.

AIDS Pandemic

In the 1980s, Winkelstein focused his work on HIV and the AIDS pandemic. He studied how this new disease was spreading. His research helped us understand more about AIDS.

Later Life

After he retired, Winkelstein continued to work. He wrote about the lives of other important epidemiologists. These included John Snow and Edward Jenner. He also wrote about his mentor, Abraham Lilienfeld.

Warren Winkelstein Jr. passed away in 2012 at his home in Point Richmond, California. He was 90 years old.