American inventor Max Tishler was born in Boston, Massachusetts on October 30, 1906. He was educated a Tufts college, where he graduated in 1928. Tishler's advanced degrees in organic chemistry were earned at Harvard University.

In 1937, Dr. Tishler joined Merck & Co., where his first assignment was to find a new process for the synthesis of riboflavin that would permit economical, large-scale production of the essential vitamin. His success, which contributed significantly to human health and nutrition, also led to processes for the practical synthesis of other vitamins.

Later, Dr. Tishler and his associates synthesized and developed a production process for sulfaquinoxaline, the first effective antibiotic for the prevention and cure of the poultry disease coccidiosis. Its use as a feed additive permitted broad expansion of poultry production.

In all, Dr. Tishler received more than 100 patents relating to medicinal chemicals, vitamins and hormones during his 33 years in industrial research. He retired from Merck in 1969 to become Professor of Chemistry and subsequently, Professor of the Sciences, Emeritus at Wesleyan University.

Dr. Tishler died March 18, 1989.

The above information was supplied by the National Inventors Hall of Fame Foundation, Inc., Room 1D01-Crystal Plaza 3, 2021 Jefferson Davis Highway, Arlington, Virginia 22202. Videotapes and printed materials are currently available, including the National Inventors Hall of Fame Book of Inventor Profiles ($3.00).

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